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Informist, Monday, Jun. 9, 2025

 

--SC stays order asking NHAI to not collect Madurai-Tuticorin highway toll 

--CONTEXT: HC barred NHAI from collecting toll till highway maintained 

 

NEW DELHI – The Supreme Court on Monday stayed a Madras High Court order barring the National Highways Authority of India from collecting toll on Madurai-Tuticorin national highway till such time the highway's road was relaid or maintained as per the standards prescribed under the National Highways Authority of India Act, 1988. The apex court issued a notice to V. Balakrishnan, the petitioner in the high court and a road user, on the highways authority's appeal. 

 

On Jun. 3, the high court had said that the National Highways Authority of India was under an obligation to maintain the highways properly, and thereafter, collect toll fees from the road users. Instead, the highway road is in bad condition, the high court had remarked. "Therefore, collection of toll fee in Madurai – Tuticorin National Highways is impermissible, and the road users are entitled for a good conditioned National Highways and then alone they are liable to pay toll fee as prescribed by the authority concerned," the high court had said.

 

The case has its genesis from a petition filed by Balakrishnan in the high court seeking necessary action against Madurai-Tuticorin Expressway Ltd.'s officials for mismanagement in allocating funds for planting saplings in Madurai-Tuticorin national highway. Balakrishnan had sought directions to Madurai-Tuticorin Expressway Ltd. for planting trees on both sides of the road and in the median of the highway.

 

Balakrishnan had said the contract between the National Highways Authority of India and Madurai-Tuticorin Expressway Ltd. for maintaining the Madurai-Tuticorin national highway was terminated in 2023 on the finding that the latter company failed to maintain the highway as per the standards prescribed by the National Highways Authority of India. Even after the contract was terminated, and the highway was not maintained, the toll fee was being collected by the National Highways Authority of India from the road users, said Balakrishnan.  End

 

Reported by Surya Tripathi

Edited by Deepshikha Bhardwaj

 

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