Court orders reduction of toll fees at toll booths on NH-44 in Jammu and Kashmir

The High Court of the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh has issued a significant order to reduce toll charges at toll plazas operating on the poorly maintained National Highway NH-44.
Construction is underway on the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway, which runs along the National Highway from Pathankot to Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir. Toll booths have been set up, and fees are being collected at Lakhanpur and Pan on the Jammu-Pathankot Highway, which connects to this expressway. 
A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed in the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court challenging this.
The judges who heard the case issued a critical order to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). 
They criticised the uncontrolled establishment of toll booths, stating that the primary objective seemed to be revenue collection rather than public service. They questioned whether the National Highways Authority and private contractors were more focused on accumulating money through toll fees rather than ensuring that roads were of acceptable quality.
The court emphasised that toll collection should not be solely for revenue generation but should be reasonable and justified. It ordered that only 20% of the current toll be collected at the Lakhanpur and Pan toll plazas in Jammu and Kashmir, with immediate effect.
Additionally, the judges directed that toll charges should be reviewed by independent inspectors. They also ruled that no toll booths should be set up within 60 km of NH-44 in Jammu and Kashmir and instructed that any additional toll booths must be removed within two months.
Legal challenges regarding toll charges have been filed in courts across various states. In Tamil Nadu, major protests have taken place at certain toll booths.
In this context, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court’s order benefits all vehicle owners across the country. If courts in other states follow this precedent, the lower-income and middle-class sections of society will see significant relief.
Will the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) comply with the court’s order and act in the public interest? Will Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari take action? Let's wait and see!