The Hindu: Madurai: Wednesday, June 4, 2025.
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Tuesday restrained National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) from collecting toll at two toll plazas on Madurai-Thoothukudi road for not maintaining the road in a proper manner and ensuring that trees were planted on both sides of the highway.
A Division Bench of Justices
S.M. Subramaniam and A.D. Maria Clete was hearing the public interest
litigation petition filed by V. Balakrishnan of Thoothukudi, a retired Tangedco
Assistant Executive Engineer.
He complained there were serious lapses and irregularities in laying and maintaining Madurai-Thoothukudi National Highway. In 2006, the road contract was awarded. It was thrown open for public use in 2011. As per the contract, the contractor had to plant trees on both sides of the highway and maintain plants on the median. But, the work was only carried out partially.
The contractor had collected toll from two toll plazas from the date of the usage of the road. But, failed to maintain the road in a proper manner. NHAI had remained a silent spectator to the lapses and the irregularities committed by the contractor without initiating any action. Sensing the seriousness and lapses, the agreement was terminated in 2023, he said.
It is seen from an RTI Act reply that about Rs.563.83 crore was recoverable from the contractor for his failure to plant roadside avenues and maintenance of road. NHAI after taking over the road continued to collect the toll fees previously collected by the contractor. The action of NHAI was illogical as it did not spend any money towards the construction of the road which was fully spent by the contractor, he said.
He said the NHAI had miserably and deliberately failed to take timely action against the contractor and allowed the contractor to continue with the violations and the irregularities for more than 10 years, thereby causing a loss of Rs. 563.83 crore, besides causing inconvenience and suffering to the road users.
Road maintenance is the statutory duty of the authorities. They ought to follow it strictly. Right to proper road connectivity is a fundamental right guaranteed under the Constitution, he said.
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Tuesday restrained National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) from collecting toll at two toll plazas on Madurai-Thoothukudi road for not maintaining the road in a proper manner and ensuring that trees were planted on both sides of the highway.
He complained there were serious lapses and irregularities in laying and maintaining Madurai-Thoothukudi National Highway. In 2006, the road contract was awarded. It was thrown open for public use in 2011. As per the contract, the contractor had to plant trees on both sides of the highway and maintain plants on the median. But, the work was only carried out partially.
The contractor had collected toll from two toll plazas from the date of the usage of the road. But, failed to maintain the road in a proper manner. NHAI had remained a silent spectator to the lapses and the irregularities committed by the contractor without initiating any action. Sensing the seriousness and lapses, the agreement was terminated in 2023, he said.
It is seen from an RTI Act reply that about Rs.563.83 crore was recoverable from the contractor for his failure to plant roadside avenues and maintenance of road. NHAI after taking over the road continued to collect the toll fees previously collected by the contractor. The action of NHAI was illogical as it did not spend any money towards the construction of the road which was fully spent by the contractor, he said.
He said the NHAI had miserably and deliberately failed to take timely action against the contractor and allowed the contractor to continue with the violations and the irregularities for more than 10 years, thereby causing a loss of Rs. 563.83 crore, besides causing inconvenience and suffering to the road users.
Road maintenance is the statutory duty of the authorities. They ought to follow it strictly. Right to proper road connectivity is a fundamental right guaranteed under the Constitution, he said.
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