The DND sees about 1 lakh vehicles traversing it daily (File)
In a relief to lakhs of commuters, the Supreme Court ruled that the Delhi-Noida-Direct (DND) flyway will be toll-free as it dismissed a petition by a private firm challenging the 2016 decision of the Allahabad High Court order asking it to stop collecting the toll from commuters.
The top court upheld the high court's observation that the company has recovered the returns, interest, and costs incurred on the construction of the 8-lane DND flyway and is not entitled to more money.
"There is no reason for the collection of the user or toll fee to continue. We hold that the agreement (for toll collection) is invalid," a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan said.
The bench also pulled up the NOIDA authority for delegating toll collection to private firm Noida Toll Bridge Company Limited (NTBCL), saying it has resulted in unjust enrichment. It also said that awarding the contract to NTBCL was "unjust and unfair".
The Allahabad High Court, in October 2016, had said that no toll would be collected from those using the DND flyway. It told the company that it had collected enough toll in the ten years since it was opened to the public in 2001.
The order was passed as the high court allowed a PIL by the Federation of Noida Residents' Welfare Association.
Managed by the NTBCL, the 9.2-km long road connects Noida with south Delhi. It sees about 1 lakh vehicles traversing it daily.