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News18
an hour ago
- News18
No Toll Without Good National Highways: Madras High Court Tells NHAI
Last Updated: The petitioner alleged mismanagement of funds earmarked for roadside plantation and highlighted the deplorable condition of the Madurai-Tuticorin NH-38. The Madras High Court, Madurai Bench recently restrained the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) from collecting toll fees on the Madurai-Tuticorin NH-38 until the highway is properly relaid or maintained in accordance with statutory standards. A division bench comprising Justice SM Subramaniam and Dr Justice AD Maria Clete passed the order on a petition filed by V Balakrishnan, who alleged mismanagement of funds earmarked for roadside plantation and highlighted the deplorable condition of the highway. He urged the court to take action against the concessionaire—Madurai-Tuticorin Expressway Ltd.—and to direct authorities to plant trees on both sides of the road and its median. The petition pointed out that the contract awarded to the concessionaire had already been terminated by NHAI on March 17, 2023, for failure to maintain the road as per prescribed standards. A prior communication dated January 18, 2022, from NHAI to the contractor had explicitly stated that the highway had become unsafe for travel, exposing road users to serious risk and attracting criticism from the public and authorities alike. Despite this, the petitioner noted, toll fees continued to be collected from commuters traveling between Madurai and Tuticorin, in what he described as an exploitative and unjust practice. NHAI countered the petition by arguing that the petitioner lacked standing, as he was not a party to the original concession agreement dated July 24, 2006, which was under arbitration. The authority also contended that the relief sought was contractual in nature and thus outside the purview of a writ petition. Rejecting these arguments, the high court held that the petitioner, as a toll-paying road user, had the right to demand basic standards of road maintenance. The bench observed that the continued collection of toll in the face of such poor infrastructure was not only unjustified but also contrary to the obligations under the National Highways Authority of India Act, 1988. 'The road users are entitled for a good conditioned National Highways and then alone they are liable to pay toll fee as prescribed by the authority concerned," the court emphasised. It added that the pendency of arbitration between NHAI and the concessionaire was irrelevant to the citizens' right to safe and reliable infrastructure. Accordingly, court directed NHAI officials not to collect any toll on the stretch until the highway is brought up to standard. However, it clarified that once the road is properly maintained, toll collection may resume. The matter has been posted for reporting compliance on June 18, 2025. First Published:
New Indian Express
7 hours ago
- Health
- New Indian Express
Consider setting up infertility treatment centre in GRH soon: Madras HC
MADURAI: Noting that a proposal to set up an infertility treatment centre at Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) in Madurai is pending before the state government, the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court observed that the government may consider establishing the centre expeditiously for the benefit of the public. A bench of justices SM Subramaniam and AD Maria Clete made the observation recently, while disposing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition filed by A Veronica Mary in this regard. Petitioner's counsel submitted that while responding to a similar petition last year, the government informed the court that a proposal has been submitted to start the facility at a cost of Rs 1.38 crore. Based on the same, the court had disposed of the plea. However, no decision has been taken on it, counsel said. The judges observed that it is a policy decision to be taken by the government by considering various factors and the court cannot substitute its opinion. However, when there are growing demands from the public, especially the poor, for such a facility, any welfare government has to consider the same in an effective manner. Since a proposal is pending, the government may consider establishing the centre as expeditiously as possible, the judges observed.
New Indian Express
8 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Madras HC bars quarrying, mining in Sivagalai archaeological site
MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has directed Thoothukudi district authorities to ensure that no mining or quarrying activities are carried out on land situated within the Sivagalai archaeological site until a final decision is made by the authority. A division bench of Justices S M Subramaniam and A D Maria Clete issued the order while disposing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition filed by D Muthuramalingam, challenging the permission granted to a private individual to quarry on the land. The permission was originally issued by the Assistant Director of Geology and Mining on November 22, 2024. During the hearing, the government counsel informed the court that the area had since been notified as an archaeological site and the quarry licence was suspended in December 2024. Taking this into account, the court instructed the petitioner to approach the appellate authority if he wished to further challenge the assistant director's decision. The judges emphasised that, until a final order is passed by the authorities, the land must be protected from any form of mining activity. However, they declined the petitioner's request to set a deadline for the district collector (appellate authority) to make a decision, citing the official's workload. In his petition, Muthuramalingam contended that the three-hectare land granted for quarrying lies close to the Sivagalai archaeological site and is rich in historical remains. He also noted that the proposed quarry site is surrounded by agricultural fields, three irrigation ponds, and a wildlife conservation area. He warned that quarry explosions could not only damage valuable archaeological artifacts but also pose serious risks to the local community and wildlife.
Time of India
13 hours ago
- Health
- Time of India
Consider establishing fertility centre at GRH expeditiously: HC to state
Madurai: Taking into account that a proposal was sent to the govt regarding establishing a fertility treatment centre at Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) in Madurai district, Madras high court observed that the govt may consider establishing the centre as expeditiously as possible. The court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by an activist, A Veronica Mary. The petitioner sought a direction to the state to establish a fertility centre with all infrastructures, including PGD-IVF, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), intracytoplasmic morphologically selected sperm injection (IMSI), laser hatching, sperm bank, egg bank, embryo bank, time lapse, fibroid clinic, and other required facilities at GRH in Madurai, for the benefit of poor childless couples. T by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 2025 Top Trending local enterprise accounting software [Click Here] Esseps Learn More Undo he petitioner's counsel submitted that the petitioner earlier filed a similar petition in 2018. After the authorities submitted that the proposal for starting the fertility centre and to procure the equipment was sent to the govt for orders, the court disposed of the petition. Though a proposal was already forwarded, no final decision was taken by the govt for establishing the fertility treatment centre at GRH. Therefore, the petitioner filed the present petition. A division bench of justice S M Subramaniam and justice A D Maria Clete observed that no doubt, it is a policy decision to be taken by the govt after considering various factors and mitigating circumstances. The court, not being an expert body in the medical field, cannot substitute its opinion regarding whether a particular treatment centre should be established. "However, there are growing demands from the public that such fertility centres are to be established strategically in various places enabling the poor people to take treatment. When the demand requires the establishment of such centres for the benefit of the people, any welfare govt has to consider the same in an effective manner," the judges observed. After suggesting the govt to consider establishing the centre expeditiously, the judges disposed of the petition.
Time of India
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Licence for quarry operations in Sivakalai suspended: State to HC
1 2 3 Madurai: The state informed the Madras high court that a licence granted for quarrying operations in Sivakalai village in Tuticorin district has been suspended since the area was notified as the Sivakalai archaeological site. The court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by D Muthuramalingam. The petitioner stated that the authorities granted permission to establish a stone quarry in a patta land situated in Sivakalai village in Nov 2024. The quarry is located near the Sivakalai archaeological site. Following protests, the authorities stopped the quarrying operations temporarily. He stated that using explosives in the quarry would affect the site. Hence, the petitioner moved court seeking a direction to the authorities to cancel the permission granted for the stone quarry and also sought not to grant permissions for quarries near the site. The additional govt pleader submitted that the assistant director of geology and mines, Tuticorin, suspended the licence granted for quarry operations in favour of a person by taking note of the fact that the area was notified as an archaeological site. He submitted that as of now, no mining operations are being carried out. Taking into account the submissions, a division bench of justice S M Subramaniam and justice A D Maria Clete observed that if the person who was granted the licence is aggrieved by the order passed by the authorities, the person is at liberty to approach the competent appellate authority in the manner contemplated under the Act and Rules. The judges made it clear that until a final decision is taken by the competent authorities or appellate authority, no mining operation shall be permitted, and the authorities are directed to ensure that the subject land is protected from any mining activities. Rejecting the request by the counsel appearing for the person who was granted the licence to fix an outer time for disposal of appeal by the authorities, the judges observed that the fact remains that no appeal is pending before the district collector as of today. That apart, the high court, in the exercise of its powers of judicial review, need not direct the appellate authority to dispose of the appeal by fixing an outer time limit. The workload of the competent authority must be taken into consideration. If such a blanket direction is issued, the authorities may not be in a position to dispose of the same within the stipulated time. Therefore, the high court, without ascertaining the workload of the subordinate courts, original authority, or appellate authority, cannot issue a direction fixing a timeline for the disposal of the matters, the judges observed and disposed of the petition.
