The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court to demand the resumption of four toll plazas in Punjab.
In its application, the NHAI claimed that the disruption of toll services at these four toll plazas has resulted in financial losses of ₹113 crore. Acting on the plea, Justice Vinod S Bhardwaj scheduled the hearing for July 10 and asked Punjab’s Advocate General Gurminder Singh to assist the court on the adjourned date. The court also sought a response from the state government, according to NHAI’s counsel, senior advocate Chetan Mittal. A detailed order is awaited.
The application was submitted by NHAI in a case concerning toll service disruptions, which the high court had resolved in 2023.
NHAI project director Lichhman Ram, who filed the application, noted that on January 12, 2023, the court had instructed Punjab and its DGP to provide adequate security and safety arrangements “in terms of the state support agreement to safeguard the property of the NHAI so that trespassers did not take over the remaining toll plazas and normalcy might be restored.”
Subsequently, the DGP (law and order) submitted affidavits on February 15, 2023, and July 12, 2023, stating that directives had been issued to field units for meticulous compliance with the high court order and that adequate safety and security arrangements were provided to safeguard NHAI’s property/toll plazas in Punjab. However, despite various letters to the authorities, no action has been taken, resulting in financial losses for NHAI. The applicant faces “serious problems at two toll plazas encroached upon by protesters, leading to significant law and order issues,” the application stated.
Protests are being carried out by various farmers’ unions against alleged toll fee hikes, claiming that NHAI is increasing the fees without providing adequate facilities.
The affected toll plazas include Usma toll in Tarn Taran on the Amritsar-Tarn Taran Harike bypass (closed since June 6), Chak Bahmniya toll plaza in Jalandhar on Lambra-Shahkot-Moga highway (closed since June 2), Ladhowal toll in Ludhiana on Panipat-Jalandhar highway (closed since June 16), and Ghaggar toll plaza near Ambala on Panipat-Khanna highway.
Mittal highlighted that there is a threat to the life and security of personnel at the toll plazas due to the ongoing protest. The personnel are unable to leave as the assets at the site cannot be left unattended. He stated, “Under the guise of protests, certain anti-social elements/miscreants are extorting money from toll plaza personnel. All these facts have been reported to the district administration and police authorities. However, no action has been taken,” the plea said, seeking a directive for the resumption of toll plazas in the state.
