High Court orders stay on construction of NH-15 toll plaza

Nikhila Pant Dhawan

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, July 17

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has ordered a stay on the ongoing construction of a toll plaza on National Highway 15. The toll plaza, located near village Jeeda on Bathinda-Amritsar road, was being constructed by a Rajasthan-based company.

As per the information, the stay was ordered following a petition submitted in the court by the owners of a petrol pump located near the upcoming toll plaza. The owners of the petrol pump alleged that the construction firm was flouting several rules and regulations while undertaking the work.

It is pertinent to mention here that the owner of the petrol pump, Harpreet Singh Grover, had filed a writ in the court following which the court ordered the parties concerned to submit their replies by July 28.

Elaborating on the case, advocate Anmolratan Singh Sidhu stated that as per the notification issued by the Road Transport and Highways Ministry of the Government of India dated August 24, 2013, there is a ban on construction of a toll plaza within a 1,000 metre radius from the petrol pump. He stated that Grover has been running the petrol pump since 2005 in Jeeda village and the distance of the toll plaza from his pump is only about 30 metres.

Meanwhile, residents of Jeeda village also supported the case and stated that the toll plaza should be either located in Faridkot or Bathinda rather than at Jeeda village. Residents of the village said the setting up of a toll plaza on the road just a few metres away from the village would cause traffic congestion on the road right outside the village.

The village residents stated that due to the road widening project, unnecessary vehicular traffic was passing through the village and with the setting up of a toll plaza, traffic problems will only increase. “Instead of a toll plaza at Jeeda village, it should be at the outer limit of Bathinda district from where Faridkot district begins as there can be better traffic control resources,” said a village youth Dilbar Singh.