Thiruvananthapuram: The public works department (PWD) has decided to stop collection of toll at the Akkulam toll plaza on Thiruvananthapuram-Kazhakkoottam Bypass, and Varappuzha and Kundannoor bridges from Thursday midnight. The decision was taken by PWD minister G. Sudhakaran, a release from his office said on Thursday. “The toll is collected by the state PWD,” said Venkata Krishnan, project director, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). “The minister discontinued the toll and issued a gazette notification. The NHAI has forwarded the notification to the state PWD.”
The state government has proposed to the NHAI to shift the toll gate near the Akkulam bridge because a shopping mall is coming up at Akkulam. The new spot proposed for the toll plaza, based on NATPAC’s recommendation, is near the Chakkai rail over-bridge. When asked if the toll fee would be revised, Venkata Krishnan said that toll rates would be fixed only after the completion of the project.
Meanwhile, Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor tweeted: “Good news for Thiruvananthapuram National Highway users: Ministry has issued orders to stop toll collection at Akkulam yesterday. Free flow!” A statement from his office said that Kazhakkoottam-Karode NH development project was being implemented based on the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) model and therefore the toll collection had to be stopped.
