THRISSUR: The contract company at Paliekara toll plaza is still extorting despite collecting twice the cost. 725 crores were spent to build the Mannuthi-Edapally four-lane road. According to the National Highway Authority of India, the Guruvayoor Infrastructure Private Limited Company has collected 1,475 crore till June through tolls. This daylight robbery comes at a time when many construction works are pending on the national highway.

The contract period will end only after four years. It is estimated that around four thousand crores will be collected by the end of the contract period. Toll collection started on February 9, 2012. Initially, 3 crores were received from 10,000 vehicles per month but now, the number of vehicles has increased to 40,000 and the revenue has increased to 11 crores.

Even though the revenue has increased more than four times, the company is moving forward with ways to extend the contract quoting demonetisation, floods, COVID-19 etc. The company has been increasing the toll rate year after year, taking away many of the benefits the local residents had. Political parties had launched many protests against this but to no avail.

Construction not complete

The law states that tolls should be collected only after the construction is complete but works are still pending even after 12 years. The construction of the Puthukkad flyover which is under the contract started two months ago. Drainages, protection barricades, drinking water and public telephone points at regular intervals are yet to be completed.

Act to cancel toll plazas

Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadgari had replied to TN Prathapan MP in the Lok Sabha on March 23, 2021 that according to the National Highways Fee Rules, there should be only one toll plaza within 60 km and if there are two, one would be cancelled. Since the toll plaza has come up at Panniyankara on the six-lane road going to Palakkad, it was expected that the toll plaza at Paliakekara would be cancelled. However, on November 24, 2022, the Minister of Transport changed his stance.