Himachal HC orders suspension of toll collection at Sanwara Toll Plaza in Solan till Oct 20

Shimla, Sep 18 (PTI) The Himachal Pradesh High Court on Thursday ordered suspension of toll collection at the Sanwara Toll Plaza in Solan district on the Shimla-Kalka National Highway from September 20 to October 30 citing poor road conditions and inadequate facilities.

Taking suo motu notice, a division bench of the court comprising Chief Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia and Justice Ranjan Sharma issued the directive. The detailed orders are awaited.

It also directed the Solan deputy commissioner to provide necessary assistance to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) in improving road conditions and listed the matter for further hearing on October 30, sources said.

In an earlier order passed by the court on August 28, it said, "It is a matter of concern that the road remained closed at Chakki Mor on more than three occasions in July and August, and traffic was reduced to one-way, causing long jams of 5 km on either side." Due to the repeated disruptions, the court rapped the NHAI for its failure to properly maintain the highway and cautioned that the collection of toll at Sanwara plaza could be suspended if urgent corrective steps are not taken.

Around 15,000 vehicles ply on the Shimla-Kalka Highway, and the daily toll collection at the Sanwara Toll Plaza near Dharampur is around Rs 11 lakh. PTI BPL RHL