PIL plea to suspend collection of toll fee at toll plazas till road repair works are carried out

Madras HC orders notice to NHAI, concessionaires on PIL over damaged Madurai-Kanniyakumari Highway. Petition seeks repair works, suspension of toll fee collection at two plazas. Road opened in 2009, but only patch works done since. Complaints of cracks, potholes, lack of emergency lane, poor facilities at toll plazas. Petitioner sought action on rep. to suspend toll fee till repairs done.

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Friday ordered notice to NHAI and the concessionaires on a public interest litigation petition that complained about the damaged condition of the roads on Madurai - Kanniyakumari Highway.

A Division Bench of Justices S.S. Sundar and D. Bharatha Chakravarthy ordered notice to the authorities on a petition filed by advocate V. Maharajan of Madurai. The petitioner sought a direction to the authorities to carry out the repair works and properly maintain the entire stretch. He also sought a direction to suspend the collection of the toll fee at the toll plazas in Salaipudur in Kayathar and Nanguneri till then.

He said that the four lane Madurai - Kanniyakumari Highway was a vital link road and had toll plazas located at two places, Salaipudur in Kayathar and Nanguneri. The project began in 2003 and was opened for public use in 2009. but the road has not been relaid ever since. Only patch works were carried out. The stretch was riddled with cracks and potholes and it resulted in accidents on a daily basis, he complained.

The National Highway crosses river Tamirabharani and Chittar. Two bridges at Ponnakudi - Sengulam and Moondradaipu were under construction. Even after three years, the work has not been completed. The stretch was in a dilapidated condition. The facilities at the toll plazas including drinking water and toilets were not maintained properly. There was no dedicated lane for emergency vehicles, the petitioner complained.

He said that he had made a representation to the authorities to suspend the collection of toll fee at the two toll plazas till the condition of the roads were improved and the repair and the maintenance works were completed. However, no action was taken based on the representation made so far, he said. He sought a direction to the authorities to carry out repair and maintenance works for the entire stretch and suspend the collection of toll fee till then.