Facts
The petitioners operated a restaurant and related wayside amenities under a licence granted by the outgoing concessionaire, TN (DK) Expressways Limited.
Source reference: p. 2–4The concessionaire’s contract was due to end on 30 September 2026.
Source reference: p. 2–4The petitioners challenged the second respondent’s proceedings dated 10 August 2026, seeking permission to continue operating the facilities during the transition to a new tender.
Source reference: p. 2–4They stated that they had invested substantially in the premises and offered to pay ₹1,50,000 per month as use and occupation charges.
Source reference: p. 2–4The respondents stated that the tender process would be initiated and completed within approximately two to three months, and that the petitioners could participate in it
Source reference: p. 2–4Issues
Whether the petitioners could continue operating the wayside amenities pending completion of the fresh tender process
Source reference: p. 3–5Whether such continuation should be subject to payment of use and occupation charges and participation in the tender, with vacation required if another bidder succeeded
Source reference: p. 4–5Law Applied
The judgment does not cite any statute, precedent, or specific substantive legal doctrine.
Source reference: p. 4–5The Court applied a case-specific balancing of the petitioners’ interest in continuing their existing operations against the respondents’ interest in conducting a fresh tender and selecting a successful bidder.
Source reference: p. 4–5It conditioned interim continuation on payment of the stated use and occupation charges and participation in the tender process.
Source reference: p. 4–5Reasoning
The Court considered that the petitioners’ licence through the outgoing concessionaire was ending, while the respondents’ fresh tender process would take another two to three months.
Source reference: p. 3–5Balancing the parties’ interests during that interval, it permitted continued operation on payment of ₹1,50,000 per month directly to the second respondent.
Source reference: p. 3–5It also required the petitioners to participate in the tender and preserved the respondents’ ability to award the contract through that process
Source reference: p. 3–5Holding
The Court disposed of the writ petition, directing the respondents to permit the petitioners to operate the wayside amenities until completion of the tender process, subject to monthly payment of ₹1,50,000.
The petitioners were directed to participate in the tender; if another person was declared the successful bidder, they were required to vacate the premises forthwith.
Source reference: p. 5No costs were awarded, and the connected miscellaneous petitions were closed.
Source reference: p. 5Original Court PDF
P.MuthukumarvsThe Regional Officer,
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