CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court has directed that there shall be no collection of fees from the new toll plaza on NH-520 near Karansahi village at Bileipada in Keonjhar district, until further order.
The single judge bench of Justice Biswanath Rath on Tuesday issued the interim order on a writ petition seeking relocation of the new toll plaza as the present location violates the National Highways Fees (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rule, 2008. Govinda Chandra Khilar and four others had filed the petition.
The new toll plaza at Bileipada is located at a distance of 7.6 km from Joda municipality area and within a distance of 42.26 km from the existing Banajodi toll plaza. But the rule prescribes location of a toll plaza at a distance of at least 10 km from a municipal local area and maintaining a distance of 60 km between two toll plazas. Hence, installation of the new toll plaza is illegal and not permissible under law, the bench contended.
While passing the interim order, Justice Rath issued notices to the office-bearers of National Highway Authority (NHAI). Assistant Solicitor General of India P K Parhi who appeared on behalf of Ministry of Road Transport Highways, was passed on copies of the petition to file response by the next date. Justice Rath did not fix the next date for hearing the petition on the question of admission, but directed for fixing short returnable dates while issuing the notices.