Insta
NHAI Warns Concessionaires: Maintain Highways Or Toll Will Be Halved
Swarajya Staff
Feb 03, 2018, 05:20 PM | Updated 05:20 PM IST
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
Following an order by the Madras High Court to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to reduce toll rates by half on the Madurai-Virudhunagar national highway due to poort maintenance, the NHAI has asked its officials to ensure that concessionaires maintain highways, lest they too see toll rates reduced, reports The Times of India.
We respect the court order and take it in the right spirit. I have asked NHAI not to challenge the order. We propose to put a protocol for assessing maintenance of roads every year. This will bring accountability. The NHAI is issuing an administrative order.Union Highways and Road Transport secretary Yudhvir Singh Malik
Officials of the NHAI have confirmed that an order instructing officials at various levels has been issued to ensure “preventive maintenance”.
Earlier in 2015, the NHAI had rolled back an increase in toll rates along the Delhi-Jaipur stretch of National Highway (NH) 48 after it was reported that the road was pothole-ridden. The Supreme Court had observed that toll should not be charged if the road was not in good condition.
The Madurai bench of the Madras High Court has ruled that the toll can only be increased back to the original rates at the Kappalur Toll Plaza on the Madurai-Virudhunagar stretch of NH 44 after the road is repaired and a report is submitted to the court.
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
Introducing ElectionsHQ + 50 Ground Reports Project
The 2024 elections might seem easy to guess, but there are some important questions that shouldn't be missed.
Do freebies still sway voters? Do people prioritise infrastructure when voting? How will Punjab vote?
The answers to these questions provide great insights into where we, as a country, are headed in the years to come.
Swarajya is starting a project with an aim to do 50 solid ground stories and a smart commentary service on WhatsApp, a one-of-a-kind. We'd love your support during this election season.
Click below to contribute.