Ban on toll collection in Paliyekkara to continue

KOCHI: The High Court has adjourned the petition regarding the traffic congestion on the Thrissur-Ernakulam National Highway to today. The order prohibiting the collection of tolls remains unchanged. After the National Highway Authority informed the court that all the instructions given by the Collector to resolve the problem have been followed, a division bench comprising Justice A Mushtaq Muhammad and Justice Harishankar V Menon clarified that the petition will be considered again today after examining the report. The Thrissur Collector, who appeared online, informed that the police and the transport department have ensured that 13 of the 18 instructions given have been implemented satisfactorily and that there is progress on the others.

The High Court is likely to take a decision today on the resumption of toll collection on the Mannuthi-Edappally National Highway. Toll collection at Paliyekkara was suspended from August 6 due to congestion on the National Highway. The NHA and the contractor Guruvayur Infrastructure Limited had approached the High Court to reinstate the toll collection, but permission was not given.