3 toll booths on route; Alappuzha–Ernakulam highway travel set to become costlier

Alappuzha: People travelling between Alappuzha and Ernakulam through the upcoming National Highway elevated corridor may have to pay toll at three places after the project is completed.

The toll collection points will include one toll booth on the elevated highway and two other plazas on different parts of the National Highway. This means motorists using the Alappuzha-Ernakulam route may have to cross multiple toll points during their journey.

New toll booths planned at Thuravoor and Eramalloor

Two new toll booths are proposed in Alappuzha district.

One will come up at Kripasam Junction on the Paravur-Thuravoor stretch. The other is planned at Eramalloor on the Aroor-Thuravoor elevated highway section.

Apart from these two new toll points, the existing toll plaza at Kumbalam, after Aroor, is already operational. Vehicles entering Ernakulam district through this route currently pass through this toll plaza.

Once the new toll booths become operational, travellers from Alappuzha to Ernakulam may have to cross the toll points at Thuravoor, Eramalloor and Kumbalam.

Passengers travelling from Alappuzha towards Kollam will have a different arrangement.

They will have to cross only one toll booth, which is planned at Ochira near the district border.

The National Highway passes through nearly 96 kilometres of Alappuzha district. The stretch begins at Krishnapuram near Ochira and ends at Aroor.

Toll booths to come up within shorter distances

Normally, National Highway toll plazas are placed at an average distance of about 60 kilometres.

However, in Alappuzha district, the proposed toll points are expected to be much closer to each other. The distance between some toll booths will be around 30 kilometres.

Another toll booth is also planned near Ochira as part of the highway development works.

Highway project divided into four sections

The National Highway development work in Alappuzha district has been divided into four sections.

These include the Aroor-Thuravoor elevated highway, Thuravoor-Paravur stretch, Paravur-Kottukulangara section and Kottukulangara-Kollam stretch up to Krishnapuram.

The toll booth under the Kottukulangara-Kollam section will be located at Ochira, close to the Alappuzha-Kollam border.