In Brief
The Supreme Court dismissed NOIDA Toll Bridge Company's appeal against a High Court judgment that stopped toll collection on the Delhi-NOIDA Direct Flyway. The Court held that a welfare association properly filed a public interest petition challenging the toll despite delay, as the cause of action was continuing. NOIDA unlawfully delegated the power to levy fees to the private concessionaire; the statutes permitted only collection. The formula for calculating project cost—which allowed indefinite escalation through annual shortfalls and unrestricted expenses—was unreasonable and violated public policy. A CAG audit confirmed the developer had recovered costs and substantial profits, making continued toll collection unjustified. The Court affirmed the High Court's direction to cease toll collection.
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