During the hearing on air pollution on Wednesday, the Supreme Court directed to close or shift 9 toll plazas to reduce congestion at important entry points of the capital including the Delhi-Gurgaon border.
New Delhi. During the hearing on air pollution on Wednesday, the Supreme Court directed to close or shift 9 toll plazas to reduce congestion at important entry points of the capital including the Delhi-Gurgaon border. According to reports, the Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant has asked the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to take a decision within a week on closing its 9 toll plazas.
What is the problem in closing toll plaza till January?
The CJI questioned, when the level of pollution is at its highest, why can’t toll collection at congested urban borders be stopped on January 31 next year. Will you install a toll plaza in Connaught Place tomorrow just for the need of money? He asked, why can’t the officials say that there will be no toll plazas till January? We are not against toll. But you will have to find a way so that no toll is levied till January 31.
Consideration of shifting 9 toll plazas
The Supreme Court asked NHAI whether 9 toll collection booths run by MCD in Delhi can be shifted to locations managed by the highway authority. Justice Surya Kant said that such booths can be shifted to such places where NHAI employees are deployed. The CJI further said that some part of the toll collected from these can be given to the MCD to compensate for the temporary loss.
Toll related finances will be audited in depth
Addressing the MCD, the court said it will examine how much revenue is actually being generated from the toll plazas and how much is being spent on the maintenance of the highway and related infrastructure. The court told the civic body, we will investigate how much you earn from these toll plazas and how much you spend on the maintenance of the highway. Toll-related finances will be audited in more depth. Let us tell you that the bench was informed about the problem of traffic jam at MCD toll plaza between Delhi and Gurgaon. Also, concern was expressed that due to long queues of vehicles, the level of pollution in the capital is increasing and people are facing a lot of problems.