Toll at Nattika before completion of NH 66 work sparks protests
Protesters in Kerala are opposing the NHAI's decision to begin toll collection on NH 66 before construction is fully completed. Local political parties argue that the road lacks essential safety features and infrastructure, making the toll premature.
Why it matters
The dispute highlights the tension between infrastructure development timelines and public safety concerns regarding toll road quality.
The National Highways Authority of India’s (NHAI) decision to begin toll collection at the Nattika plaza on NH 66 from Thursday, even as several major structures, service roads and safety facilities remain incomplete, has triggered strong protests in the region.
The CPI, CPI(M), Congress and various local organisations took out separate protest marches to the toll plaza on Wednesday, demanding that toll collection be deferred until the highway and its associated infrastructure are fully completed.
The protesters alleged that the NHAI was rushing to impose the toll even though the construction agency had indicated that the project, originally scheduled for completion in 36 months, would require another 10 months to finish.
“People are being asked to pay for a highway that is still a work in progress,” the protesters said, pointing to the slow pace of construction at several locations.
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