New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday put an interim stay on a Madras High Court order restraining the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) from collecting toll on the Madurai-Tuticorin national highway.
A vacation bench of Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Manmohan issued notice to V Balakrishnan, a retired Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation assistant executive engineer from Tuticorin district, on whose plea the Madras High Court passed the order.
The order of the apex court came after the NHAI sought a stay on the High Court order.
The High Court had prohibited the collection of toll on the Madurai-Tuticorin Highway till the road was relaid and maintained in good condition.
On June 3, the High Court had passed the order underscoring that the NHAI has an obligation to maintain Highways properly, pursuant to which they can collect toll fees from such users.
Hence, it ordered no collection of toll till the roads are properly maintained by the authority as per the standards prescribed under the National Highways Authority of India Act.