2 toll plazas on Zirakpur-Patiala road within 43 km challenged

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 9

The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday issued a notice of motion to the Union of India and the National Highways Authority of India on a petition filed in public interest challenging the decision to set up two toll plazas within 43 km on the Zirakpur-Rajpura-Patiala highway.

In his petition placed before the Division Bench of Acing Chief Justice Ajay Kumar Mittal and Justice Tejinder Singh Dhindsa, advocate Rajbir Singh contented that the move was totally illegal, arbitrary and contrary to the provisions of the National Highway (Free Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules.

Referring to the rule, the petitioner submitted a toll plaza could not be established within 10 km of municipal or local town area limits. He added that toll plazas could also not be established on the same section and in the same direction of the national highway within a distance of 60 km.

Seeking the quashing of a notification issued in this regard, the petitioner further submitted that two new toll plazas were being constructed within the municipal or the local town area limits of Patiala and Zirakpur. As such, the notification dated June 20, 2017, was required to be set aside. Taking up the matter, the Bench fixed May 30 as the next date of hearing in the case.