'Why toll tax when there are no smooth roads'

New Delhi: The Centre's policy of charging toll tax from vehicles has come under scrutiny of the Supreme Court which on Wednesday questioned the justification of imposing such charges on people when the government cannot provide smooth roads.

A bench of justices DK Jain and Anil R Dave directed the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to explain its policy for toll tax.

"What is your policy. Public must know about it. It (building roads) should not be only to help builders and contractors. I do not understand your policy. We want to know what is your policy. Why should people pay toll tax when there is no smooth driving on road," the bench said.

"See the condition of the road. It results in serious accident but traveller has to pay toll tax," it remarked.

The court was hearing a PIL filed by an NGO People's Voice seeking its direction to restrain the Centre from alleged arbitrary collection of toll tax on the country's national highways.

Although the PIL was focused on the toll tax collected on the NH-8 connecting Delhi with Gurgaon, the bench asked the petitioner to expand it by bringing within its purview the toll tax charged in other parts of the country also.