Madras HC orders separate VVIP lane at toll plazas

The National Highways Authority of Indian (NHAI) should have a separate lane for VVIPs, including sitting judges, at all toll plazas managed by it so that they are not made to wait in the queue, the Madras High Court has ruled.

The order by a division bench of Justices Huluvadi G Ramesh and M V Muralidharan has created consternation among the people with many taking to the social media to vent their anger against VVIP culture.

“It is disheartening to note that the vehicles of VIPs and sitting judges are stopped at toll plazas... It is very unfortunate that sitting judges are also compelled to wait in the toll plaza for 10 to 15 minutes,” Justices Ramesh and Muralidharan said in their order on Wednesday.

The order directed the NHAI to issue the circular to all toll plazas to provide separate lane so that vehicles of VIPs and sitting judges can pass through without any hindrance. It warned that the court would issue a show-cause notice to the authorities concerned unless a circular was issued and any violation of the order would be viewed seriously.

The interim order was passed by the court while hearing a batch of petitions related to toll plazas, including a plea by the L&T Krishnagiri-Wallajapet Tollway Limited, seeking a direction to the buses belonging to Villupuram and Salem divisions of Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation Limited for paying the prescribed toll fee for using the road.