Bombay HC proposes to direct CAG to investigate toll collection on Pune-Mumbai Expressway

The Bombay high court is likely to ask the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) to conduct a thorough investigation into the toll collection done by the contractor on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, after hearing objections in public interest litigation (PIL) for the extension of the contract till 2030.

“We propose to direct the CAG to conduct a thorough investigation and submit a report,” said the bench, adding that it wanted to hear both the advocate general and the additional solicitor general before making this decision.

The division bench of chief justice Dipankar Datta and justice Girish Kulkarni, while hearing the PIL filed by Pravin Wategaonkar, Sanjay Shirodkar, Vivek Velankar, and Shrinivas Ghanekar was informed that he was challenging the toll collection on Mumbai-Pune Expressway and seeking a declaration that levying toll on the e-way from August 2019 was illegal as per the Motor Vehicle Tax Act, 1958.

The petitioners argued that toll collection rights for the 15-year period from 2004 to 2019 were awarded to the company based on an upfront payment of Rs 918 crore, and the balance cost recoverable, as of August 2004, was Rs 3,632 crore.

During the earlier hearing, the bench had asked the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) to inform how long people have to pay toll on this road.

The court sought the presence of Singh and Kumbhakoni during the next hearing on Thursday and said, “After ASG and AG appear, we propose to direct CAG to conduct a thorough investigation and submit a report.”