Paliyekkara toll collection stays suspended as Kerala HC prioritises commuters

Kochi: The Kerala High Court has ruled that the ban on toll collection at Paliyekkara on the Edappally–Mannuthi National Highway will continue, taking a firm stance on a petition filed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

NHAI had claimed it was incurring significant losses due to the suspension of toll collection over the past month. However, the court said the public should not be put to further inconvenience.

The High Court had sought a report from the district Collector, which identified problems at 18 points along the highway. The report noted that issues at 13 of these locations had been largely resolved. The court, however, said the report was incomplete and adjourned the case to allow submission of a comprehensive update.

When asked if a new report could be submitted by Thursday, the Collector requested more time. The court said it would consider the toll issue only after receiving a complete report and reiterated that the public should not be tested further. The petition will be taken up again on Thursday for further hearing.