CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has ordered the operators of four toll plaza in the southern districts including Madurai, Kanniyakumari, and Tirunelveli to stop Tamil Nadu state transport corporation (TNSTC) buses from crossing the toll plazas from July 10 until a solution is arrived at to clear user fee dues amounting to Rs 276 crore.
The interim order was passed on Tuesday by Justice N Anand Venkatesh on the petitions filed by four companies operating the toll plazas, praying for orders to TNSTC to pay the dues owed to them.
The petitioner companies are operating on Madurai- Kanyakumari, Kanyakumari-Etturavattam, Salaipudhur-Madurai, and Nanguneri-Kanyakumari toll roads. They sought the court to issue directions restraining TNSTC buses from plying through Kappalur, Etturavattam, Salaipudhur, and Nanguneri toll plazas.
The judge added that these measures will continue till the respondent-corporations come up with a viable solution to clear the dues owed to the petitioners.
He also directed the DGP to direct jurisdictional police officers to provide protection at the toll plazas
The judge further stated that the directions shall be complied with strictly and the police shall ensure that no undue pressure is exerted on the toll operators to permit TNSTC buses.
This “extreme order” has to be passed by this court considering the fact that no positive solution was coming forth from TNSTC for settling the dues, the judge reasoned.