Court notice to NHAI on toll collection

CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court on Wednesday issued notice to the National Highways Authority of India basing on a PIL writ petition by Kendujhar Naba Nirman Parishad which challenged the notification of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. The petition challenged the decision of NHAI to charge toll fee at the enhanced rate from the commuters at Manguli Toll Plaza for use of six-lane road. The HC will hear the case on December 20. During the hearing, petitioner’s advocate Kedar Jena submitted before the court that the decision to collect toll by a private company Shree Jagannath Expressways Private Ltd of Kolkata at the enhanced rate was illegal, arbitrary and in violation of law. He also submitted that the NHAI should not have issued such a notification before construction of six lanes. On the other hand, the counsel for the company stated that NHAI had entered into an agreement with the Kolkata-based firm for the development, operation and maintenance of existing four lanes on  Bhubaneswar-Jagatpur-Chandikhol section to six lanes divided carriageway on design, build, finance, operate and transfer basis. It was further stated that the company has been given 910 days for completing construction of the six lanes and 26 years with effect from December 14 to collect the toll. The division bench of Chief Justice V Gopalagowda and Justice BN Mohapatra, while adjourning the case for further hearing, passed an interim order directing the company to keep details of the collection of toll and such collection shall be subject to the result of the writ petition.