The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked
the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the National Highways Authority of
India (NHAI) to examine whether toll collection at nine entry-point plazas in
the capital could be closed temporarily or relocated to ease traffic congestion
amid Delhi’s worsening air pollution.
Why
did the Supreme Court flag toll plazas in Delhi?
A
bench of Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant, Justice
Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul M Pancholi said the civic body must take a
call within a week and place its decision on record. The direction came after
the court was told that congestion at toll booths along Delhi’s borders was
causing vehicles to idle for extended periods, adding to emissions.
Expressing strong displeasure, the Chief Justice
asked why authorities could not take a policy decision to suspend toll
collection at least till January. “Why can't the officials say that till
January there will be no toll plaza?” the Chief Justice asked, adding,
“Tomorrow you will start putting toll plazas inside the CP because you need
money?”
The court also requested the NHAI to explore
relocating the nine toll plazas currently operated by the MCD to alternative
sites that could be managed by the highways authority. It suggested that part
of the toll revenue collected at such locations could be shared with the MCD to
offset losses arising from any temporary suspension.
These observations were made while hearing an
application filed by the NHAI, which flagged severe congestion at the city’s
borders due to toll collection by the MCD.