Decide toll issue in six weeks: Bombay High Court to Maharashtra government

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday directed the state government to take a decision within six weeks on the reccommendations of a state-appointed committee on the issue of toll being charged on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway.

A division bench of Justice Abhay Oka and Justice Riyaz Chagla asked the government to consider the recommendations of the Sumit Mullick committee report. The report has recommended rationalisation of toll.

This was not specifically for Mumbai-Pune Expressway but for many other highways built on a transfer basis across the state.

The bench also asked the MSRDC and PWD department to submit to the state their survey reports about toll collected till now and the number of vehicles that pass on the expressway, to help take the decision.

The direction was given during the hearing of public interest litigations (PILs) filed by four activists seeking that the right of the contractor, Mhaiskar Infrastructure Private Limited, to collect toll on the expressway be revoked.

According to the petitions, the contractor has already recovered the cost of the project as per its agreement with the state authorities and, despite that, it continues to collect toll, thereby making "wrongful gain".

The bench has also asked the state to look into the allegations of breach of contract that were levelled by petitioners and told them to file an affidavit in the court by August 6.

According to the pleas, the contractor has recovered Rs 2,869 crore that it was entitled to and was now making wrongful gains by continuing to collect toll.

'REVOKE TOLL'

Court order came during hearing of PILs seeking that the right of the contractor, Mhaiskar Infrastructure Private Limited, to collect toll on the expressway be revoked.