Union Minister Nitin Gadkari assures toll reduction at Paliyekkara: MP K Radhakrishnan

Thiruvananthapuram: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has assured that the toll rates at Paliyekkara will be reduced and that the construction works along various stretches of the national highway from Edappally to Palakkad will be completed on time, says MP K Radhakrishnan.

The MP had earlier submitted a letter and held discussions with Minister Gadkari demanding the immediate termination of the unjust toll collection at the Paliyekkara toll plaza.

In the letter, the MP stated that the extension of the toll collection contract granted to NHAI until 2028 is unacceptable. He pointed out that over 50,000 vehicles pass through the toll plaza daily, causing significant hardship to the public, including students and patients.

He also highlighted that the contractor has already collected over 1,600 crore rupees in toll revenue, which exceeds the construction cost of 720 crore rupees.

The MP further stated that most of the land required for the highway’s development was handed over by the Kerala Government and that imposing tolls causes great difficulty to local commuters.

Amid widespread public protests, the High Court had recently issued an interim order suspending toll collection for four weeks. However, the MP criticised NHAI for not taking any concrete action or finding a permanent solution despite the court’s intervention.

To provide a permanent solution to the public’s travel woes, toll collection at the Paliyekkara plaza must be permanently stopped, and a comprehensive audit of the toll revenue and contract details must be conducted, the MP demanded.