Truck drivers protest at Pudurpandiyapuram toll plaza over non enforcement of HC order

Truck drivers protest toll collection on Madurai-Thoothukudi highway, demanding enforcement of High Court order, causing traffic disruptions.

Truck drivers staged a protest on Wednesday by parking their vehicles across at different toll lanes of Pudurpandiyapuram toll plaza, demanding to enforce the order of Madurai Bench of Madras High Court which had directed the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to halt toll collection from two toll plazas on Madurai-Thoothukudi highways.

Balakrishnan, a resident of Thoothukudi has filed a public interest litigation petition in Madurai Bench of High Court, which was heard by Justices S.M. Subramaniam and A.D. Maria Clete. The court issued an order on Tuesday (June 3) to restrain toll collection for not maintaining roads in a proper manner and ensuring planting of trees along the Madurai-Thoothukudi highway.

However, toll collection continued as usual at the Pudurpandiyapuram toll plaza from Wednesday morning, with vehicles passing through via FASTag and other modes. Around 9 a.m., truck owners including heavy trucks, coming from V.O.C. Port, claimed that toll fees should not be collected as per the High Court order. But, toll plaza staff reportedly said they could only follow the court’s order after receiving an official copy of court’s directive.

Opposing this, truck owners and drivers halted their vehicles on the Madurai bound lane, blocking access through the toll plaza. Due to this, other vehicles had to use the emergency lane in the toll plaza, causing significant delays in the vehicular movement.

Upon receiving the information from the National Highways Department, police officials and Mayor Jegan Periyasamy arrived at the spot and held discussions with truck drivers. Highways officials assured that they would act according to the court’s instructions, once the official copy is received and until then toll collection would continue. Agreeing to this, truck drivers called off their protest and moved their trucks around 1 p.m. .

The alleged protest lasted from around 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and caused considerable inconvenience to the commuters on the highway..