The Delhi High Court has stepped in to shield Noida Toll Bridge Company Limited (NTBCL) from a massive ₹100-crore retrospective tax slapped by the New Okhla Industrial Development Authority (NOIDA) for advertisements on the DND Flyway.
In its interim order, Justice Jasmeet Singh ruled that coercive action against the company would be stayed until further hearings. The court noted that NTBCL had a prima facie right to display advertisements, warning that failure to grant interim relief could inflict losses “irreparable in money terms.”
The tussle began when NOIDA hiked the ad licence fee nearly fourfold—from ₹125 to ₹457 per square foot per month—effective April 1, 2024. The demand letter, sent in September 2025, sought dues retrospectively and without notice, sparking NTBCL’s legal challenge.
NTBCL argued its rights stem from agreements signed in 1997 and 1998, which, it claimed, do not empower NOIDA to unilaterally raise the fee. While its right to collect tolls was struck down years ago—first by the Allahabad High Court in 2016 and later affirmed by the Supreme Court in 2024—the company maintains that its advertising rights remain intact.
For now, the High Court’s protection keeps NOIDA’s demand on hold. The case is set to return for hearing on January 16.