J&K High Court Orders 80 Per Cent Toll Fee Cut On Lakhanpur-Udhampur Highway, Relief To Mata Vaishno Devi Pilgrims

In a significant relief for commuters, including pilgrims travelling to Mata Vaishno Devi, the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and Ladakh has issued directives to the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to reduce excessive toll fees in the Union Territory within four months, reported The Hindu.

Court Orders Toll Fee Reduction Until Highway Completion

The fees collected at the Lakhanpur and Bann toll plazas have been directed to be reduced to 20 per cent of the previous rates that were in force before 26 January 2024, until the Lakhanpur-Udhampur National Highway is fully operational. 

The Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Tashi Rabstan and Justice M.A. Chowdhary issued the order while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking exemption from toll fees along the Jammu-Pathankot Highway until the completion of the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway.

The High Court observed that the establishment of multiple toll plazas across Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh appeared to have been done solely for revenue generation. 

The Court noted that hefty toll fees are being charged at Bann toll plaza, while the toll fees at other locations are also significantly high, in its 12-page order issued on Tuesday.

Court Criticises Excessive Revenue Collection

The bench pointed out that while thousands of crores were being collected by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), private contractors were also accumulating significant revenue.

The High Court stressed that toll fees should be fair and reasonable, ensuring they do not become a mere revenue-generating mechanism.

The court directed the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to consider imposing "fair and genuine" toll fees across all plazas and reduce the current charges, which were deemed to be on the higher side.

"The decision in this regard (will) be taken positively within a period of four months from today (Tuesday)," the order stated.

Additionally, the court instructed the NHAI, the Jammu & Kashmir government, and the Union Road Transport Ministry to withdraw within a week any previous orders regarding redistributing toll fee collection between Lakhanpur and Bann toll plazas following the closure of Thandi Khui toll plaza on 26 January 2024.

Restriction on Setting Up New Toll Plazas

The court further directed that no new toll plaza be established within 60 km on National Highway 44.

If any such plaza exists within this distance, the authorities must remove it within two months from the order date (Tuesday).

Moreover, the respondents and toll plaza contractors were instructed not to employ individuals with criminal backgrounds.

It was also mandated that all personnel at toll plazas must undergo police verification, with the concerned Station House Officer (SHO) or officer-in-charge held personally accountable in case of any violations.

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