Plea in Kerala HC against toll collection on Kazhakootam-Karode bypass

Kochi: A plea has been moved in the Kerala High Court seeking prohibition of toll collection on the Kazhakootam-Karode bypass till completion of the entire stretch of the highway.

On Tuesday, Justice P B Suresh Kumar directed the high court's registry to register the plea as a writ petition.

The petition by a lawyer -- K V Abhilash -- had not been numbered as a writ petition due to certain objections raised by the high court's registry.

The plea, filed through advocate G Sudheer, besides seeking a bar on toll collection till completion of work, has also sought shifting of the toll plaza from Thiruvallom to some place between Kazhakootam and Chakka bypass junction.

The petition has contended that since the entire project has not been completed, therefore, the collection of toll was "illegal" and against the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules 2008.

The Kazhakootam-Karode NH 66 bypass road is a corridor of 43 km, eventually leading to Kanyakumari, the plea has said and claimed that the 26.7 km first stretch of the project from Kazhakootam to Mukkola was not yet complete.

The second stretch from Mukkola to Karode was still under construction, it has further claimed.