During a hearing on the Kerala highway toll dispute in the Supreme Court, CJI BR Gavai remarked that a two-hour rain in Delhi brings the entire city to a standstill. He expressed concern over poor roads and traffic jams.
CJI Gavai: The situation in Delhi often deteriorates during rains. Traffic jams, waterlogging, and long waits are common. On this issue, Chief Justice BR Gavai of the Supreme Court made a significant comment on Monday. He said that even just two hours of rain in Delhi completely halts the city. He made this remark during a hearing regarding toll collection and traffic jams on a highway in Kerala.
Why did CJI Gavai give the example of Delhi?
The Supreme Court was hearing a petition by NHAI (National Highways Authority of India) on Monday. The case was related to the NH-544 highway in the Thrissur district of Kerala. Due to poor roads and long traffic jams on this highway, the Kerala High Court had stayed toll collection. NHAI challenged this decision in the Supreme Court.
During the hearing, a lawyer informed the court that due to the poor road conditions and traffic jams, it was taking people 12 hours to cross the road. In response, CJI Gavai gave the example, stating that if it rains for just two hours in Delhi, the entire city comes to a standstill.
What is the Kerala Highway case?
The Kerala High Court ordered in August 2025 that toll collection should not be carried out on the highway until the highway's condition improves. The court stated that when roads are filled with potholes and travel takes several hours, how can people be charged tolls? NHAI approached the Supreme Court against this decision. They argued that stopping toll collection would affect development and maintenance work.
What happened in the Supreme Court hearing?
On Monday, a bench of CJI BR Gavai, Justice K. Vinod Chandran, and Justice NV Anjaria heard the case. The court heard arguments from both NHAI and the petitioners.
Lawyers stated that the condition of the highway is so poor that it is taking people up to 12 hours to travel from one end to the other. As a result, passengers are facing difficulties. It was during this discussion that the topic of Delhi's rain came up, and the CJI commented that even just two hours of rain disrupts the entire system in the capital.
The problem of rain and traffic jams in Delhi
It is true that Delhi faces a major challenge every year during the monsoon season. Even a short spell of heavy rain leads to waterlogging in many areas. The main roads get flooded, causing traffic jams for hours. Office commuters, public transport users, and even emergency services are affected.
What is the dispute regarding toll collection?
Toll collection has been a subject of debate in India for a long time. People believe that toll tax should only be collected when the roads are good and travel is smooth. If the roads are broken, filled with potholes, or time is wasted in traffic jams, then paying toll is unfair. The Kerala High Court, accepting this argument, ordered a halt to toll collection. However, NHAI argues that the revenue generated from tolls is necessary for road maintenance and new projects.
