High Court Seeks State's Response On Plea By NHAI To Provide Security To Toll Plazas Allegedly Encroached By Protestors In Punjab

The Punjab & Haryana High Court today, issued notice on the plea filed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) seeking security and administrative assistance for the smooth functioning of toll plazas in Punjab, against the forceful stoppage of toll plazas and illegal operation of the same by the protestors.

The Farmer union activists have been protesting against frequent hikes in the toll fee for the past 15 days, alleging that NHAI is hiking the toll fee at will without providing adequate facilities.

Justice Vinod S. Bhardwaj considering the application sought a response from the Punjab Government.

The NHAI submitted that protestors in various places of Punjab, including Amritsar, Jalandhar, and Ludhiana, have time and again seized the toll plazas and stalled the operation of collecting toll fees, which has caused a severe loss to the Central Exchequer.

"It is estimated that due to the forcible seizure of the toll plazas the loss is around Rs. 113.21 Crores...It is further relevant to mention here that under the garb of the protests, certain anti-social elements/miscreants are extorting money from the personnel of the toll plazas. All these facts have been brought to the notice of the District Administration and the Police Authorities however, no action has been taken till date," the plea added.

The plea was filed by NHAI through Lichhman Ram, Project Director, NHAI, Project Implementation Unit Ludhiana.

The petitioner sought directions to resume operations at the toll plazas, which have allegedly been illegally closed by the protestors, and for directions to the authorities regarding the repeated encroachments of toll plazas, "creating serious law and order problems."

According to the application, the High Court, previously in 2023, had directed the Punjab Government and the DGP Punjab to provide adequate security and safety arrangements in terms of the state support agreement to safeguard the property of the NHAI so that trespassers do not take over the remaining toll plazas and normalcy may be restored.

In compliance with these orders, the DGP (Law and Order) filed affidavits, wherein they stated under oath that directions had been issued to the field units for meticulous compliance with the High Court order and to provide adequate safety and security arrangements to safeguard the property/toll plazas of HAI operational in the state of Punjab. Considering the affidavit of the police authority, the High Court disposed of the matter.

Senior advocate Chetan Mittal, representing NHAI, submitted that after the disposal of the matter based on the DGP's affidavit, some toll plazas in the state of Punjab had again been encroached upon by the protestors, taking the law into their own hands.

Despite various letters written to the State authorities, they have totally turned a blind eye and have not taken any action in the matter thereby putting NHAI to financial loss, stated the plea.

The matter is listed for July 10, for further consideration.

NHAI & Ors. v. State of Punjab & Ors.