Supreme Court Stays Order on Madurai-Tuticorin Toll Collection

The Supreme Court temporarily halted an order preventing toll collection on the Madurai-Tuticorin highway, following a challenge by the NHAI against a Madras High Court ruling. The case arose from claims by V Balakrishnan, a retired engineer, accusing poor maintenance of the highway despite toll charges.

The Supreme Court has temporarily stayed an order that stopped the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) from collecting tolls on the Madurai-Tuticorin highway. This decision comes after a legal challenge by the NHAI against a previous ruling by the Madras High Court.

A bench of Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Manmohan has issued a notice to V Balakrishnan, the retired engineer whose public interest litigation (PIL) led to the High Court's ruling. Balakrishnan accused the highway contractor of failing to fulfill contractual obligations like properly maintaining the highway.

Additional Solicitor General N Venkataraman, representing the NHAI, sought a stay on the High Court order, arguing that the highway's toll collection was justifiable. Senior advocate P Wilson countered, describing the tolls as 'daylight robbery'. The Supreme Court's intervention permits temporary resumption of toll collection while the case proceeds.

(With inputs from agencies.)