High Court: No Toll Collection at Paliyekkara Without Road Repair

The Kerala High Court has ruled that toll collection at Paliyekkara cannot be resumed without proper road repairs. This observation was made during the hearing of a petition filed by the contract company and the National Highway Authority, seeking to reinstate toll collection at the Paliyekkara toll plaza.

The High Court has adjourned the case hearing to Wednesday and has directed the District Collector to appear online on that day to provide further clarification. Consequently, no toll will be collected at Paliyekkara until the case is reconsidered on Wednesday.

The court meticulously reviewed reports submitted by both the District Collector and the District Police Chief concerning the state of the roads. It also examined the condition of service roads in areas where underpass construction is in progress. The Collector’s report highlighted that not all service roads have been repaired. Furthermore, the court considered the District Police Chief’s report, which noted the continued presence of dangerous potholes in Perambra.

Previously, on August 28, the National Highway Authority had approached the High Court, asserting that the service roads had been repaired and requesting permission to restart toll collection. However, the court had denied this request. The denial was based on a report from a three-member committee, comprising the District Collector, District Police Chief, and the Regional Transport Officer (RTO). This committee had informed the court that a permanent solution, including the widening of service roads, had not yet been implemented.