Noida Authority dither, yet to permit MCD toll collection from DND toll plaza

NOIDA: Noida Authority is yet to give permission to the Noida Toll Bridge Company Ltd (NTBCL), the operator of the Delhi-Noida-Direct (DND) flyway to collect MCD toll tax from commuters at the DND toll plaza. Gautam Budh Nagar District Magistrate B.N Singh has on Friday shot off another reminder to the Noida Authority in an effort to clear the logjam—between the toll bridge company and the Noida Authority—and take the matter forward in the interest of the public. Singh had earlier also held a meeting with Noida Authority on June 30 regarding the matter with an aim to expedite the decision so that commuters are not harassed.

However, the Noida Authority after a meeting with the DM and the NTBCL officials in June this year had raised two objections in the matter after seeking advice from legal officers since the matter is subjudice.

According to sources, Singh has written to the Authority to review the decision taken by the Noida Authority's Chief Judicial Advisor (CLA), after he recently received a letter from the South Municipal Corporation Delhi asking the administration to resolve the issue.

According to the letter written by Singh, a copy of which is with TOI, the CLA had in June raised two issues including that the MCD toll cannot be collected by a booth at the DND toll plaza as it was not located in the jurisdiction of Delhi. Secondly, the legal officer had said that a booth at the DND could not collect the toll as matter regarding collecting toll fee by the NTBCL is subjudice and collection of any tax would be in contempt of court. However, Singh has asked Noida Authority to review the decision as the apex court had in August refused to stay the Allahabad High Court order and had said that DND will remain toll free and there was no mention of the MCD toll tax, which is collected under provisions of the DMC Act 1957.

The DM has also sent copies of the letter to the Divisional Commissioner Meerut and Commissioner South MCD.

In March this year, TOI had reported that midnight snarls have become a problem for the commuters travelling from Noida to Delhi ever since Allahabad High Court ordered NTBCL to stop toll collection on the highway and Supreme Court upheld the decision. Till October last year, MCD tax and environment toll was collected at a plaza at the flyway on the Delhi-Noida border.