In a landmark decision, the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh has mandated a significant reduction in toll rates across the Union Territory, providing substantial relief to travelers, including pilgrims heading to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine. The court’s directive requires the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to implement a 20% rate of the original fees at specific toll plazas until the national highway from Lakhanpur to Udhampur is fully operational.
The decision, issued by a division bench consisting of Chief Justice Tashi Rabstan and Justice MA Chowdhary, came in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that challenged the high toll fees along the Jammu-Pathankot Highway, particularly between Lakhanpur and Bann. The PIL argued for exemption from toll fees until the completion of the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway, to which the highway will be connected.
Highlighting concerns over the proliferation of toll plazas primarily aimed at revenue generation, the bench criticized the existing system for placing financial burdens on the general public and benefiting private contractors disproportionately. “The essence of fair and genuine fees must be restored, and the toll rates adjusted to reflect this principle,” the court stated in its 12-page order.
The court has set a four-month deadline for the Union Ministry to revise and lower the toll fees comprehensively. Additionally, it mandated an immediate reduction to 20% of the previous rates at the Lakhanpur and Bann toll plazas effective from last year, following the closure of the Thandi Khui toll plaza. Full toll charges will resume only after an independent surveyor certifies the complete operational status of the highway segment in question.
Further directives from the high court include the removal of any toll plazas within 60 kilometers of National Highway 44, if established, within two months. The court also addressed concerns about the employment practices at these plazas, instructing that no individual with a criminal background be hired, and that all personnel be vetted by police agencies.
