National Highway development in Kerala coming to standstill; lorries carrying quarry products getting stopped at Tamil Nadu check posts

KOLLAM: Officials of the Tamil Nadu Motor Vehicle Department are demanding huge bribes at border check posts from lorries carrying quarry products for the development of National Highway 66.

With this, the development of National Highway 66 in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, and Alappuzha districts is coming to a standstill as the arrival of quarry products from Tamil Nadu is coming to a halt.

Bribes are being demanded at Tamil Nadu MVD check posts at Aryankavu and Parassala. The contract companies of the national highway development used to bring the quarry products in lorries with a 40-ton capacity.

It has been three weeks since the Tamil Nadu Motor Vehicle officials started stopping the movement of quarry products in big lorries demanding bribes. The MVD officials are saying that only lorries carrying a load of 10 tonnes will be allowed to cross the border. The contract companies have now completely stopped the movement of quarry products as the cost has increased four times.

MVD demanding bribe

• MVD officials are seeking a bribe of Rs 5000 to allow a lorry with a 40-ton capacity carrying quarry products to cross the border
• With this, the arrival of quarry products from Tamil Nadu has stalled.
• The development of national highways in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, and Alappuzha districts has been affected.
• Contract companies started depending on Tamil Nadu as the availability of quarry products in the state decreased