KOLLAM: Tension prevailed at the toll plaza of Kollam bypass after various political parties staged an agitation against the 'illegal' toll collection by the contract company. The Kollam city police have stopped the toll collection after informing the company that toll fees cannot be collected without permission from the district administration. As a result, the company said the toll collection would be resumed only after the consent from the district administration or state government.
The company that had the contract informed the district collector in a WhatsApp message that it would start collecting toll from 8 am on Friday. However, youth outfits took out a march to the toll plaza and staged a sit-in on the bypass. The police rushed to the spot and told the toll plaza officers to stop the collection. When the company refused to stop it, police closed the toll booths.
According to the district administration, the company started toll collection without obtaining permission from the state government.
The state government had objected to the Centre's decision to start toll collection on the Kollam bypass as the public and political parties were against the move. Public Works Minister G Sudhakaran had informed Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari that the state government does not want to impose a toll for the amount Kerala had spent on the project.
The total cost of the project is Rs 352 crore, of which the Centre had spent Rs 176 crore on a 50:50 cost-sharing basis. The bypass connecting Mevaram and Kavanad was thrown open for traffic on April 19, 2019 and the 13-km stretch touches three important National Highways - NH 66, NH 183, and NH 744.
As per the Financial Participation Agreement signed between the two governments on January 17, 2014, the state government shall levy and collect the toll fee at full rates applicable at the point of time and remit the entire fee collected to the central government until full realisation of the investment made by the Centre. A gazette notification for collection of toll fee was published on September 15, 2020.