The Punjab & Haryana High Court has issued a notice to the Punjab Government, seeking its response to a plea filed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). The plea requests security and administrative support to ensure the smooth functioning of toll plazas in Punjab, which have been subject to forceful stoppages and illegal operations by protestors.
Justice Vinod S. Bhardwaj, who is presiding over the matter, has asked the state to respond to the NHAI’s concerns. The protest, led by farmer union activists, has been ongoing for the past 15 days. The activists are protesting against frequent hikes in toll fees, alleging that the NHAI increases fees arbitrarily without providing adequate facilities.In its submission, the NHAI highlighted that protestors have repeatedly seized toll plazas in various locations across Punjab, including Amritsar, Jalandhar, and Ludhiana. These actions have significantly disrupted toll collection operations, resulting in an estimated financial loss of Rs. 113.21 crores to the Central Exchequer. The NHAI also noted that anti-social elements have taken advantage of the protests to extort money from toll plaza personnel. Despite notifying the District Administration and the Police Authorities, no action has been taken to address these issues.The petition was filed by Lichhman Ram, Project Director of NHAI’s Project Implementation Unit in Ludhiana. It seeks directives to resume operations at the toll plazas that have been illegally closed by protestors. Additionally, it calls for measures to prevent repeated encroachments at toll plazas, which create significant law and order challenges.
The High Court, in a previous order in 2023, had directed the Punjab Government and the Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab to provide adequate security and safety arrangements to protect NHAI properties. The DGP (Law and Order) had submitted affidavits stating that field units had been instructed to comply with the High Court order and ensure the safety and security of toll plazas in Punjab. Based on this affidavit, the High Court had disposed of the matter.However, Senior Advocate Chetan Mittal, representing the NHAI, informed the court that despite these assurances, several toll plazas in Punjab have been re-encroached by protestors. He stated that despite multiple letters to state authorities, no action has been taken, resulting in continued financial losses for the NHAI.The court has scheduled the matter for further consideration on July 10.
