6 months ago
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The Kerala High Court has directed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to redress information concerns raised by the interim postulation absorption committee astir the Edappally-Mannuthy NH 544 corridor successful a clip bound manner.
The NHAI has further been ordered to taxable a compliance study by mid November astir information and allied issues connected the 65-km-long corridor wherever toll postulation resumed connected October 17, 2025, connected the assurance that steps volition beryllium taken without hold to extremity postulation gridlocks. The tribunal had suspended toll postulation from August 6, pursuing a slew of petitions expressing interest astatine postulation snarls (including a 12 hr agelong one), and those that sought a absorption to the NHAI to guarantee harmless and creaseless travel of vehicles connected the stretch. The postulation absorption committee was constituted to acceptable an interim postulation absorption plan.
On Monday (October 3, 2025), a Division Bench of Justice A. Muhamed Mustaque and Justice Harisankar V. Menon directed the NHAI to redress the continuing information concerns, portion considering a plea by Congress person Shaji J. Kodankandath and others. This was aft the District Collector of Thrissur submitted that galore information concerns continued to persist connected the NH 544 corridor. They included information hazards successful the vicinity of sites wherever heavy excavation was done.
Toll postulation challenged
The time besides saw Mr. Kodankandath situation the continued postulation of toll connected the NH corridor. He said that the Guruvayoor Infrastructure Private Ltd has already recovered the full outgo of the task based connected which the corridor was developed, with tenable profit. The rationale down the postulation of toll is that motorists who are paying the toll should beryllium capable to question without facing postulation congestion. But contempt the reintroduction of toll, determination is nary betterment successful postulation movement. Long hours of postulation blocks inactive proceed astatine Muringur and Amballur. The concern would worsen erstwhile Koratty junction is besides blocked for underpass construction.
The concern is apt to worsen, and postulation whitethorn travel to a standstill erstwhile the Sabarimala play starts, arsenic vehicles carrying pilgrims statesman flowing from different districts and States to the elevation shrine. Contending that the continued toll postulation connected the NH agelong is amerciable and arbitrary, Mr. Kodankandath sought a absorption from the HC to restrict toll postulation astatine NHAI’s Paliyekkara Plaza connected the Edappally-Angamaly agelong until underpasses were commissioned astatine Amballur, Chirangara, Karukutti, Mulangu and Koratty.
