Supreme Court Upholds Decision to End Toll Collection on DND Flyway

In a significant relief for commuters, the Supreme Court on Friday upheld the decision to halt toll collection on the Delhi-Noida Direct (DND) Flyway. The verdict reprimanded the Noida Authority for allowing the Noida Toll Bridge Company Ltd (NTBCL) to exploit commuters without a defined time frame for toll collection.

A bench consisting of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan affirmed the Allahabad High Court’s 2016 judgment, which ordered NTBCL to cease charging tolls on vehicles using the flyway, which connects Delhi and Noida. The Court noted that NTBCL had already recouped both the construction cost and a reasonable profit from the tolls since the flyway opened in 2001.

The Supreme Court criticized the Noida Authority, stating that the agreement with NTBCL allowed indefinite toll collection, which resulted in an unfair burden on the public. Justice Kant remarked that the Noida Authority had overstepped its authority by allowing NTBCL to levy fees without a set end date.

The court also validated the public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the Federation of Noida Residents’ Welfare Associations in 2012, which challenged the continued toll collection. The PIL, which questioned the legitimacy of the toll as a “user fee,” was deemed legally sound.

A report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) indicated that NTBCL had already made sufficient profits from the tolls, reinforcing the conclusion that continued collection was unjustified. As a result, the Supreme Court dismissed NTBCL’s appeal, supporting the High Court’s decision.

The verdict is expected to benefit thousands of daily commuters by removing the financial burden of toll charges, while ensuring fairness in the management of public infrastructure projects. Since the DND Flyway became operational in 2001, it has greatly reduced travel time between Delhi and Noida, easing congestion in the region.