MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court issued a notice to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the district collectors of Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi, among others, on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed to repair and maintain the damaged portion of National Highway 44, between Madurai and Kanniyakumari.
The litigant V Maharajan, who is the president of Nethaji Subash Senai Tamil Nadu, also wanted the court to suspend the collection of toll fees at Salaipudur and Nanguneri toll plaza located in the stretch till the repair works are completed.
A Bench of justices SS Sundar and D Bharatha Chakravarthy issued notice and adjourned the case for further hearing. According to Maharajan, the said four-lane was opened for public usage in 2009 and has not been relaid ever since. Now the 54 km stretch is riddled with cracks and potholes, leading to accidents almost on a daily basis, Maharajan said.
The said NH has a major bridge to cross the Thamirabharani and Chitraru and two more bridges are being built at Ponnakudi-Sengulam and Moondradaippu for the past three years, he added. Due to the incomplete bridge works, the roads are dilapidated and there a heavy traffic jams, especially during peak hours and festival days, he alleged and sought the above direction. It could be noted that there is yet another PIL pending in the HC seeking similar relief with respect to the Vagaikulam toll plaza in Thoothukudi.