SC to hear plea against making DND toll-free on Friday

The Supreme Court will hear a plea on Friday against an order by the Allahabad high court which made the ride between Delhi and Noida on the DND Flyway toll-free.

A bench headed by Justice Anil R Dave agreed for a hearing on Thursday after the Noida Toll Bridge Company Ltd (NTBCL) which manages the Flyway filed the plea.

On Wednesday, the Allahabad HC had passed an order against collecting toll on the eight-lane, 9.2km road connecting Noida with south Delhi which was opened on February 6, 2001. The toll for a car was Rs 8 for each journey initially, but it was gradually hiked to Rs 28.

Almost 150,000 vehicles use the flyway on an average weekday; 110,000 vehicles pass through the Noida toll gate and an average 40,000 use the Mayur Vihar link road opened in January 2008.

The order came on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the Federation of Noida Residents Welfare Associations in 2012 to restrain the concessionaire from collecting toll tax. Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services Limited is the promoter company of the NTBCL, whose job was to construct, operate and maintain the flyway till 2031.

(With inputs from agencies)