KOCHI: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has increased toll charges by 3-5%, adding to the burden of motorists and users, despite the fact that ongoing road infrastructure projects in the state continue to cause severe disruption to traffic on various stretches. Toll fees at several plazas, including Tiruvallam, Kumbalam, Ponnarimangalam, and Panniyankara, have been revised, effective April 1.
This is the fifth time that fees have been hiked at the Tiruvallam toll plaza in the last one-and-a-half years.
Stakeholders argue that users, often long-distance travellers, often don’t get the benefit of user fee. Furthermore, traffic moves at a snail’s pace along stretches where work is progressing, especially the Aroor-Thuravoor section, where the condition of service roads is pathetic.
“Several projects are being implemented simultaneously across the state. It includes road-widening activities, construction of the elevated highway, besides blackspot-rectification works. Traffic moves only at a snail’s pace along most stretches. Commuters are not getting the benefit of paying user fee. Now, they have hiked the toll. We demand that toll fee be exempted till the completion of projects,” said T Gopinathan, state general secretary of the All Kerala Bus Operators Organisation (AKBOO).
Private-bus owners say they haven’t been informed of the increase in user fee. “No notice has been issued. The cost of operation and maintenance of vehicles have gone up substantially due to the deplorable condition of service roads.
Vehicles are reduced to crawl speed in sections like Aroor-Thuravoor and then you are required to pay a higher toll,” rued K M Siraj, Ernakulam district secretary of the Private Bus Owners Association (PBOA). In Ernakulam district, rates have been hiked at both toll plazas, at Kumbalam and Ponnarimangalam.
Traffic expert Upendra Narayan said it took him over five hours to travel from Angamaly to Kayamkulam, a distance of 130 km, with traffic congestion at many key junctions along the route.
“The companies levying toll were initially under the Kerala government’s NH division till 1998. Now there is not even a provision to file a small complaint as they function under NHAI. Before increasing toll fees, they should ensure that they implement facilities on the concerned stretch, including 24x7 route patrolling, ambulances, dead-animal remover and the like. Even streetlights are not fully functional in many stretches for which the toll is collected,” Upendra pointed out.
According to him, NHAI and the contractor should ensure timely repair of service roads and proper display of traffic warning systems even on stretches where works are progressing. “This is provided under the ‘Bill of Quantities’,” he said.