HC quashes toll notification by Madurai corporation

Madras High Court Bench here today held the city Corporation could not use road toll collection as a tool for revenue generation.
Justice R.Mahadevan said the Corporation Commissioner had done an illegal act by getting the toll collection ratified retrospectively since 2005 for using the Ring Road here.
The Judge, who criticised Tamil Nadu Government and the Corporation Commissioner for collecting toll without proper notification, set aside the notification issued on January 31, 2011, ratifying the collection of toll from 2005-2011.
The Judge allowed a prayer of the petitioner -- Virudhunagar District Bus Owners association, who sought to quash the notification but refused another plea for refunding the toll collected during the period 2005-2014,

As per the G.O, toll could be collected for 15 years,though for every five years notification should be issued justifying the extension of collection, he noted.
Referring to the arguement of the corporation that it had availed loan from private parties to save payment on interest and clear the initial loan to the Tamilnadu Urban Development Fund (TNUDF), the judge said that the fund (loan) had been raised without the approval.