In a landmark judgment, the Supreme Court has ruled that motorists cannot be compelled to pay toll on highways that are poorly maintained or rendered unusable due to severe traffic jams. The order came while hearing a case related to toll collection at the Paliyekkara toll plaza in Thrissur, Kerala. The apex court upheld the Kerala High Court’s earlier order that had banned toll recovery at the site. The bench, led by Chief Justice Bhushan R. Gavai, emphasized that the welfare of citizens takes precedence over the financial interests of highway authorities or private contractors.
The court rejected the petition filed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and its contractor company, which had sought to overturn the ban. The bench observed that citizens already pay taxes for road development and must be allowed to travel without hindrance. Forcing commuters to pay additional toll on roads filled with potholes or congestion amounts to unfair taxation. Highlighting recent incidents, the judges pointed out that poor maintenance directly affects travel time and road safety. Public money, the court said, should be used to ensure smooth roads, not for penalizing travelers with unnecessary tolls.
The NHAI argued that traffic snarls were limited to a few spots, but the court disagreed. "Even if only five kilometers of a 65-kilometer stretch is damaged, the entire journey is disrupted," it said. Referring to the Edappally–Mannuthy section, which was blocked for 12 hours last week, the bench questioned the fairness of demanding ₹150 toll when commuters endured such delays. The verdict has brought immense relief to vehicle owners nationwide, as they may no longer be charged for using damaged or jammed highways. The ruling also signals a push for stricter accountability in maintaining road infrastructure across India.