Why pay toll if roads are not maintained, asks Supreme court

Bringing the pathetic condition of the country's several national highways into focus, the Supreme Court on Thursday questioned the need for public to pay toll tax if the roads are bad.

"Why should the public pay toll tax if the condition of roads is bad and they are facing problems. The common man cannot be made to punish for the wrongs committed by the government. Upkeep of the national highways is the responsibility of the central government," a bench of Justices TS Thakur and Kurian Joseph said reducing the toll tax on a stretch of NH 6 which runs through Chhattisgarh by 20 per cent.

The concessionaire of the highway DSC-Viacom Ventures Private Limited and the Centre had approached the apex court against the high court decision to stay an order of the National Highway Authority of India to increase the tax by 40 per cent.

A committee appointed by the court had come to a conclusion that 25 kilometres of the 80 km stretch of the highway was in poor shape.

During the hearing, the bench said overloaded trucks were being allowed to ply on roads and this was one of the main reasons for poor conditions. It said proper action against such vehicles was the need of the hour. The court also suggested setting up of weigh bridges along highways. "Why are overloaded trucks let off scot-free? This is a big scam. They are largely responsible for roads breaking up," said Justice Thakur.

The controversy related to the alleged failure of the company to repair the road between Raipur to Durg in the state that had led to issuance of direction against it by the high court.

Recently, the SC appointed a three member panel, comprising former Raipur District Judge Arvind Shrivastava as chairman and chief engineer of the NHAI of the region along with chief engineer of the Public Works Department of Chhattisgarh, as members. It asked the panel to submit a report with regard to its condition and the repairs required.