Umri Pooph Pratappur (UPP) Tollways Pvt. Ltd. vs. M.P. Road Development Corporation 2025 INSC 907 - Right To Safe, Well-Maintained - Motorable Roads - Writ Petitions
Constitution of India- Article 19,21- The right to access any part of the country, with certain exceptions and restrictions under certain circumstances, is a fundamental right guaranteed under Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution, and the right to safe, well-maintained, and motorable roads is recognised as a part of the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution of India, it is the responsibility of the State to develop and maintain the roads directly under its control. (Para 8)
Constitution of India- Article 226 -The contract for laying of a State Highway/District Road, when assigned by the Corporation owned and run by the government, assumes the character of a public function – even if performed by a private party – and would satisfy the functionality test to sustain the writ petition. (Para 8)
Madhya Pradesh Madhyastham Adhikaran Adhiniyam, 1983 - When the Concession Agreement pertains to the construction of a State Highway situated entirely within the State of Madhya Pradesh and was awarded by a State-controlled entity, the agreement clearly qualifies as a “works contract” under section 2(1)(i) of the 1983 Act. Consequently, the dispute arising therefrom falls within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Madhya Pradesh Arbitration Tribunal.(Para 11.9-10)
Words and Phrases -'Ascertained' - A claim which can be determined through evidence and quantification falls within the ambit of the term ‘ascertained’. (Para 11.3)
#SupremeCourt today held that the right to safe, well-maintained, and motorable roads is also a fundamental right !
— CiteCase 🇮🇳 (@CiteCase) July 30, 2025
It is the responsibility of the State to develop and maintain the roads directly under its control, the Court added. https://t.co/yezy3NRtDH pic.twitter.com/dPWJjKjmGA
Case Info
Case Name and Neutral Citation
- Case Name: Umri Pooph Pratappur (UPP) Tollways Pvt. Ltd. v. M.P. Road Development Corporation & Another
- Neutral Citation: 2025 INSC 907
Coram
- Coram: Hon’ble Mr. Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Hon’ble Mr. Justice R. Mahadevan
Judgment Date
- Date of Judgment: July 30, 2025
Caselaws and Citations Referred
- S. Shobha v. Muthoot Finance Ltd.
- SPL(C) Nos. 2625-2627 of 2025
- Jagmittar Sain Bhagat v. Director, Health Services, Haryana and others
- (2013) 10 SCC 136
- Kanwar Singh Saini v. High Court of Delhi
- (2012) 4 SCC 307
- Viva Highways Ltd v. Madhya Pradesh Road Development Corporation Ltd
- 2017 SCC OnLine MP 1448
- Madhya Pradesh Rural Road Development Corporation Ltd v. L.G. Chaudhary Engineers and Contracts
- (2018) 10 SCC 826
- Federal Bank Ltd. v. Sagar Thomas
- (2003) 10 SCC 733
- Binny Ltd v. Sadasivan
- (2005) 6 SCC 657
- State of Chhattisgarh v. M/s. KMC Construction
- (2018) 10 SCC 839
- ARSS Damoh - Hirapur Tolls (P) Ltd. v. M.P. Road Development Corporation
- 2018 SCC OnLine SC 3899
- Madhya Pradesh Rural Road Development Authority v. Backbone Enterprises Limited
- (2018) 15 SCC 660
- Deep Industries Ltd v. Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd
- (2020) 15 SCC 706
- Booz Allen and Hamilton Inc v. SBI Home Finance Ltd
- (2011) 5 SCC 532
- Gangotri Enterprises Ltd v. Madhya Pradesh Road Development Corporation
- (2018) 16 SCC 296
- Gayathri Project Ltd v. M.P. Road Development Corporation Ltd
- 2025 SCC OnLine SC 1136
- Maharshi Dayanand University v. Anand Coop. L/C Society Ltd.
- (2007) 5 SCC 295
- Heyman v. Darwins Ltd.
- 1942 AC 356 : (1942) 1 All ER 337 (HL)
- VA Tech Escher Wyass Flovel Ltd. v. M.P. SEB
- (2011) 13 SCC 261 : (2012) 3 SCC (Civ) 468
- Modern Builders (case referenced in context, citation not specified)
Statutes / Laws Referred
- Constitution of India
- Article 12
- Article 19(1)(g)
- Article 21
- Article 226
- Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 (as amended)
- Section 2(4)
- Section 16
- Section 21
- Section 23(4)
- Section 34
- Section 37
- Section 43
- Madhya Pradesh Madhyastham Adhikaran Adhiniyam, 1983
- Section 2(1)(d)
- Section 2(1)(i)
- Section 3
- Section 7
- Section 7-A
- Section 7-B
- Section 20
- Madhya Pradesh Madhyastham Adhikaran Regulations, 1985
- Rule 53
- Civil Procedure Code, 1908
- Order 37
- Section 115
- Limitation Act, 1963
- Madhya Pradesh Highways Act, 2004
