The Supreme Court has made strict comments on the toll collection by the Municipal Corporation on 9 borders of Delhi. The court has called the traffic jam caused due to this as a major cause of pollution. The bench headed by the Chief Justice has asked the MCD (Municipal Corporation) to consider postponing toll collection for the time being. A decision regarding this should be taken within 1 week.
The Supreme Court has asked the National Highway Authority (NHAI) to consider giving some part of the recovery on its toll away from the borders of Delhi to the MCD. This will help in compensating some of the financial loss suffered by MCD. Actually, the issue of traffic jam caused by MCD’s toll collection but only NHAI has reached the Supreme Court. NHAI had raised this issue in the court during the hearing of Delhi-NCR pollution case.
MCD’s lawyer said that toll collection was necessary to meet his expenses. On this, Chief Justice Surya Kant took him to task and said, ‘Tomorrow you can start collecting toll at Connaught Place also to generate income. People are troubled by pollution. We have to think about public interest. The Chief Justice also said that Delhi Municipal Corporation should postpone toll collection from October 1 to January 31 every year. A plan can be made to compensate for the economic loss caused by this.
The Supreme Court made it clear that it wants to discuss long-term solutions rather than immediate measures. The court has asked the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) and the states of NCR (Delhi, Haryana, UP and Rajasthan) to work on these points: –
* Better arrangement of vehicle movement and public transport
* Less industrial pollution and clean energy sources
* Encouraging farmers to stop burning stubble
* Providing income and alternative employment to laborers when construction work stops due to pollution.
* Reducing pollution caused by domestic activities
* Increasing green area by planting trees
* Spreading awareness among citizens
* Any other steps that CAQM deems necessary
Many demands were placed before the court like stopping firecrackers on Christmas and New Year, opening of schools closed due to pollution, but the court left these topics to CAQM and said that it wants to discuss long-term solutions. The next hearing on the case will be held on January 6.
In the hearing held on Wednesday (December 17, 2025), some states told that money is being sent directly to the accounts of the workers affected by the stoppage of construction work. On this the Chief Justice said, ‘Sending money directly is not enough. Many people exploit the workers. When money goes into their account, that money is taken from them. The government should try to ensure that the workers can withdraw the money sent to their accounts in bits and pieces. With this, his expenses could last for a few days. Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Delhi government in the case, said that she will inform the states about this feeling of the court.
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‘Don’t want this money, stop toll’, Supreme Court reprimands MCD on pollution in Delhi NCR
