Toll Plaza on Kozhikode Bypass: Collector to hold meeting

In view of the continued protests against toll collection at the newly introduced Olavanna (Pantheerankavu) toll plaza on the NH-66 Vengalam–Ramanattukara stretch on Kozhikode Bypass, District Collector Snehil Kumar Singh has convened a meeting on Saturday (January 17).

The meeting is scheduled to be held in the Collector’s chamber, with the Project Director and officials of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), and anti-toll protesters to take part.

​The protest, led by District Congress Committee president K. Praveenkumar, started on Thursday (January 15) when the toll collection was introduced and continued on Friday morning (January 16) as well. Party workers raised slogans against fee collection, alleging that the service roads remain incomplete. “Residents are being forced to use the main carriageway and pay tolls repeatedly for short-distance travel because service roads remain unusable,” Mr. Praveenkumar told The Hindu.

​N. Muraleedharan, ward member of Pantheerankavu North, the ward closest to the toll plaza, in Olavanna grama panchayat, said that service roads on both sides of the highway towards Pantheerankavu and Thondayad were neither fully constructed nor sufficiently wide. “Service roads are mandated to be 5-5.5 metres wide, but the current roads do not meet these requirements. There is also no proper provision to cross the bridge, forcing residents to pass through the toll plaza even for routine travel,” he said, attributing traffic congestion along the stretch to the existing situation.

​Responding to the allegations, Prashant Dubey, Project Director at the NHAI, said service roads were toll-free and fully accessible wherever construction had been completed. “Toll charges apply only to the national highway, where work has already been finished. Delays in certain service road stretches are due to land acquisition issues, the resolution of which is underway,” he said, adding that residents living within a 20-km radius were eligible for concessional monthly passes.

Meanwhile, Kerala Human Rights Commission has registered a case and issued a notice to the Project Director of the NHAI following a complaint regarding the lack of pedestrian access on the National Highway service road in Palazhi.

​Judicial member K. Baijunath has directed that a report be submitted within 15 days. The case will be heard during a sitting at the Kozhikode Public Works department (PWD) Rest House in February.

​The action follows a complaint filed by P. Krishnadas, from Nellikode, alleging that there was not even enough space for pedestrians to stand aside when a vehicle passes. Around 300 households are currently facing hardship due to this issue, the complaint stated.