In view of the continuing poor air quality in the national capital, the Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to consider temporarily suspending toll collection at nine toll plazas located at Delhi’s entry points, noting that long traffic queues at the borders were aggravating air pollution. The Court granted one week to the MCD to take a decision and place it on record.

The Bench of CJI Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul M Pancholi also asked the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to examine the feasibility of shifting these toll booths to locations that could be managed by the NHAI, suggesting that a portion of the toll revenue could be diverted to the MCD to offset any loss. The directions were issued on an application moved by the NHAI, which alleged that congestion caused by toll collection was contributing to Delhi’s worsening air quality.