HC Directs Union Ministry to Reduce Toll Rates in J&K | 27 Feb 2025

Why in News? 

The High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh has directed the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to reduce hefty toll fees in the Union Territory within four months, providing major relief to commuters, including pilgrims to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine. 

 Key Points 

  • High Court Directives: 
    • The High Court directed that Lakhanpur and Bann toll plazas charge only 20% of the previous toll rates (before 26th January 2024). 
    • The reduced toll fee will remain in effect until the Lakhanpur-Udhampur national highway becomes fully operational. 
  • Background of the Case: 
    • A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) sought an exemption from toll collection on the Jammu-Pathankot Highway (Lakhanpur to Bann) until the completion of the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway. 
    • The highway is being extended to connect with the expressway. 
  • Concerns Raised by the Court: 
    • The court criticized the "mushrooming of toll plazas" in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, calling it a strategy to extract money from the public. 
    • It noted that the Bann toll plaza charges excessive fees, and other toll plazas also have high rates. 
    • The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and private contractors have accumulated thousands of crores of rupees through toll collection. 

 National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) 

  • NHAI was constituted by an Act of Parliament in 1988 under the administrative control of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways as a Central Authority to develop, maintain and manage the National Highways entrusted to it by the Government of India. 
    • The authority, however, became operational in February, 1995. 
  • The Authority consists of a full time Chairman, and not more than five full time Members and four part time Members who are appointed by the Central Government.