US EditionDelhi AQI Woes: Supreme Court Moots Closure of Border Toll Plazas, Gives MCD One Week to Devise ‘Concrete Plan’
The Supreme Court ordered a review of nine toll plazas to reduce congestion and pollution, with tolls possibly suspended until January 31 and annually during peak pollution months.
- On December 17, 2025 the Supreme Court bench asked authorities to examine temporarily suspending operations at the nine toll plazas around Delhi and required a recorded decision within one week with a notice issued.
- To curb pollution and reduce congestion the court noted it aims to ease vehicular emissions at Delhi-NCR borders, signalling no toll plazas until January 31 next year and annual suspension from October 1 to January 31.
- The bench asked National Highways Authority of India to consider relocating Municipal Corporation of Delhi -operated booths where NHAI staff can be deployed, suggested sharing toll revenue with MCD, and proposed spacing toll plazas after 50 kilometres.
- The bench directed the Delhi government to verify idle construction workers and ensure direct financial transfers, noting around 7,000 workers have been verified so far, and to consider providing alternative work.
- The bench listed environmentalist M.C. Mehta's PIL for January 6 and reiterated the plea must be heard twice monthly, stressing school-closure decisions under GRAP are policy matters for experts and describing pollution as an 'annual feature' needing pragmatic solutions.
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16 Articles
Delhi AQI woes: Supreme Court moots closure of border toll plazas, gives MCD one week to devise ‘concrete plan’
The court expressed strong concern over the massive traffic congestion at Delhi entry points, noting that the resultant long queues of idling vehicles significantly exacerbate vehicular emissions and overall pollution levels
Air pollution: SC pushes NHAI, MCD to suspend or shift toll booths to cut emissions
New Delhi: Taking a serious note of the severe air pollution levels in Delhi-NCR, the Supreme Court on Wednesday issued a slew of directions and asked the NHAI and the MCD to consider either temporary closing or relocating the nine toll plazas of the civic body at borders of the national capital to ease usual massive traffic congestion. The top court described the pollution crisis as an “annual feature” and called for pragmatic and practical sol…
"Why Can't 9 Tolls Be Shut Till Jan?" Supreme Court On Delhi Air Pollution
The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued a sharp notice to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and came down heavily on the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) over the operation of toll plazas at key entry points to the national capital.
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