Kochi: The second toll hike effected within two months at the Paliyekkara toll booth comes even as the National Highway Authority of India is yet to complete the remaining 35 per cent work as per the agreement. “This is unjustifiable. They kept on increasing the toll for using the Paliyekkara-Edapally section. However, the NHAI authorities are in no rush to complete the pending work,” said traffic expert and Director of Indian Institute of Road Safety, Upendra Narayanan.
The pending works include street lighting (almost the entire 62 km), construction of at least 10 service roads more, drainages and route patrolling among others, the former road safety council member said. The Guruvayur Infrastructure Private Limited, a joint venture company, had laid the 32-km road from Paliyekkara to Nadappara near Angamaly on public-private partnership mode at a cost of Rs 490s crore. The state government awarded another 30-km road stretch up to Edapally along with bridges for toll collection and maintenance.
“Another fact is that the toll hike of up to Rs 35 is effected for the entire 62-km stretch from Paliyekkara to Edapally though the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation is now entrusted with the road repair on the 12-km Aluva-Edapally section. However, the hike is being done for the entire stretch,” Mr Narayanan said. “As per the agreement with the NHAI, we’ll relay the entire 12-km stretch soon after the completion of the metro rail infrastructure. The maintenance too is our responsibility. We’re in the process of filling up the potholes on the stretch. Currently, the works on the KC 11 and KC 111 projects are fast progressing,” said a DMRC official. NHAI project director (Palakkad) P. Ramanathan was not available for comments.
