Levy only 20% fee at Lakhanpur, Bann toll plazas: HC to J&K Govt

In a breather to the commuters who travel on the National Highway from Pathankot to Udhampur, the High Court of J&K and Ladakh has ordered that only 20 percent of toll fee should be levied at Lakhanpur and Bann toll plazas.

A bench of Chief Justice Tashi Rabstan and Justice MA Choudhary, while hearing a PIL, stated, “Respondents are directed to levy only 20% of the toll fee with immediate effect, i.e., the toll fee at Lakhanpur toll plaza and Bann toll plaza shall be 20% of the rates earlier in force before 26.01.2024 till the National Highway from Lakhanpur to Udhampur gets fully operational for smooth utilisation of the public. Respondents to charge the full toll at both these toll plazas only after the issuance of a certificate in this regard by an independent surveyor.”

Respondents have also been directed not to establish any toll within 60 km of the National Highway-44. “Further, if there is any toll plaza in the UT of J&K or in the UT of Ladakh within 60 Km on the National Highway, respondents should remove the same within two months from today. Further, there should not be mushrooming of toll plazas in the UT of J&K and the UT of Ladakh only with the sole aim and objective of minting money from the general public”.

The court observed that the respondents are charging hefty toll fees at Bann toll plaza, whereas toll fees at other toll plazas are also high. “Since the toll fee must be fair enough for the general public and should not be a source of revenue-generating mechanism, respondents, particularly the concerned Union Ministry, are directed to reconsider levying of fair and genuine toll fees at the toll plazas thereby slashing the existing toll fees at all the toll plazas as the current toll fees is at higher side. The decision in the regard be taken positively within a period of four months from today”.