By Express News Service

CHENNAI: The second bench of the Madras High Court has directed the authorities concerned to provide a separate lane for VIPs, including sitting judges of the High Court, to pass through the toll plazas in the country without any hindrance. Any violation of this directive will be viewed seriously and show cause notices will be issued to the authorities of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) if no circulars are issued forthwith to all the toll plazas, the bench of Justices Huluvadi G Ramesh and M V Muralidharan warned on Wednesday.

The bench was passing interim orders on a batch of PIL petitions praying for a direction to the TN State Transport Corporations to pay the toll fee. "It is disheartening to note that the vehicles of VIP and sitting judges are stopped at the toll plazas and asked to show the ID proof , which caused lot of embarassment to them. It is very unfortunate that the sitting judges are also compelled to wait for about 10 to 15 minutes, which has not been taken seriously by the Union government and the NHAI,” the bench said.

A circular may be issued to all the toll plazas to provide separate lane for the vehicles of VIPs and sitting judges. It should be ensured that no other vehicles are allowed in that separate lane formed. Any violation of the order by NHAI will be viewed seriously, the bench warned again and posted the matter after four weeks.