Supreme Court reserves verdict on pleas against Kerala High Court order halting Paliyekkara toll collection

The Supreme Court reserved orders on petitions by NHAI and Guruvayoor Infrastructure Ltd challenging the Kerala High Court’s suspension of toll collection at Paliyekkara, citing the poor state of NH-544’s Edappally-Mannuthy stretch.

The HC had ruled that tolls under Section 226 cannot be forced when roads are ill-maintained, stressing public trust. SG Tushar Mehta argued that the monsoons had hampered works, while the owner claimed losses of ₹5–6 crore and blamed the third-party contractor, PSG Engineering.

The Court noted complaints of 12-hour traffic blocks and questioned toll recovery amid congestion, adding that disputes between NHAI and the concessionaire may ultimately go to arbitration.

[National Highway Authority of India & Anr v O.J Janeesh & Ors]