HC asks concessionaire to provide ambulances at toll plazas

The Madras High Court today directed the concessionaire of toll plazas on national highways to provide ambulance services with facilities for emergency assistance at these points.
The Madurai bench of the court gave the direction while disposing of a PIL by one P Palani Kumar of Madurai.
A division bench comprising Justices K K Sasidharan and G R Swaminathan directed that the toll plazas must have a dedicated lane in each direction for entry and exit of ambulances.
The parking should be done strictly on the dedicated parking lot provided by the concessionaire, the bench said.
The Chief General Manager and other officials of the National Highways Authority of India and the Tamil Nadu Road Transport Company must periodically inspect the toll plazas to ensure the conditions of the Concession Agreement are complied with letter and spirit, the bench said.

The court said that if the directions are not complied with, the officers concerned of the NHAI, the concessionaires and the chief executive officer of the state Road Transport Company will be held responsible.