In a dramatic display of public outrage over chronic infrastructural neglect, workers from the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) vandalized the Tondgaon toll plaza on the Akola-Nanded highway in Washim district on Wednesday. A viral video circulating on social media captured MNS members, armed with iron rods, forcefully smashing the glass panels of toll booths in broad daylight.

According to Raju Patil Kidse, the MNS Washim district president, the agitation is fueled by longstanding grievances over incomplete roadwork and the premature initiation of toll collection. “The road beyond this toll plaza remains unfinished and unusable, yet toll collection has already begun. Despite countless memorandums, no remedial action has been taken. This is sheer exploitation,” Kidse told NDTV.

The focal point of the protest was the stretch leading to Kanergaon village, where the incomplete road has become a symbol of administrative apathy. While the act of vandalism has sparked debate, MNS supporters argue that it underscores the dire need for timely infrastructure development and proper accountability in highway maintenance.

The incident in Washim comes amid heightened political tension within the region. Just the day before, parts of the Mira-Bhayandar area in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region saw significant police deployments. MNS workers, joined by members of the Marathi Ekikaran Samiti and Shiv Sena (UBT), attempted a protest march in defiance of police orders. Although their rally—from Balaji Circle to Mira Road station—was denied permission under Section 144 of the IPC, protesters organized a sit-in that eventually culminated at Mira Road station after several intermittent halts due to security concerns.

The twin episodes in Washim and Mumbai highlight a growing sentiment among regional groups in Maharashtra.