Madras High Court to NHAI: Provide separate lane for VIPs, judges at toll plazas

Chennai: The second bench of the Madras High Court directed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on Wednesday to take action for providing a separate lane at toll plazas for VIPs, including sitting judges, across the country.

According to PTI the court said, "It is disheartening to note that the vehicles of VIPs and sitting judges are stopped at toll plazas... It is very unfortunate that sitting judges are also compelled to wait at the toll plazas for 10 to 15 minutes,"

A bench including justices Huluvadi G Ramesh and MV Muralidharan passed the interim order that directed the NHAI to issue the circular to all toll plazas to provide separate lane so that vehicles of VIPs and sitting judges can pass through without any obstacle.

The bench further warned that any violation of this directive will be taken seriously. It said if circulars are not issued instantly to all toll plazas, a show cause notices will be issued to the authorities of National Highways Authority of India. The bench was passing interim orders on a batch of PIL petitions praying for a directive to TNSTC to pay the toll fee.

The bench was hearing a batch petition connected with toll plazas, comprising a plea by the L&T Krishnagiri-Wallajapet Tollway Limited seeking a direction to the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation Limited’s Villupuram and Salem divisions to pay the user fee.

Posting the matter after four weeks the bench mentioned unless a separate lane was formed at every toll plaza for VIPs, there would be unnecessary harassment.

The bench said,“It is disheartening to note that vehicles of VIPs and sitting judges are stopped at the toll plazas and asked to show the ID proof, which caused a lot of embarrassment to them. It is very unfortunate that sitting judges are also compelled to wait for about 10 to 15 minutes, which has not been taken seriously by the Union government and the NHAI. ”