'Toll-fee' collection: HC notice to Dindigul Collector

The Madras High Court bench today issued a notice to the Dindigul Collector and Palani Municipal Commissioner on a PIL seeking a stay on collection of toll fee under the guise of parking fee from all vehicles entering the famous pilgrim town of Palani.
Justices P N Prakash and Pushpa Sathyanarayana ordered notice to the officials seeking their replies in four weeks.
Petitioner S Janarthanan also sought a direction to the Deputy Superintendent of Police to act against contractors who collect toll fee or entrance fee and excess fee 'under coercion' and issue bogus bills to vehicle-owners.
The contractors, who are supposed to collect only parking fee at eight sites, had put up checkpost like toll booths to collect entrance fee, he said and sought their removal.

The petitioner contended that as per rule contractors should collect money only from tourist vehicles but they were doing so from vehicle-owners also.
Though the temple administration had provided free parking space at two sites, one had to pay entrance fee, which was non-existent.
This arbitrary collection was illegal and liable to be interfered with, he contended. Though he gave representations to the officials, no action had been taken so far, he said and sought a direction from the court for a stay on collection of the toll fees.