The Roads and Bridges Development Corporation of Kerala (RBDCK) will soon begin collecting toll from motorists using the Ponnurunni overbridge despite socio-political organisations petitioning the government against toll collection.
A decision would be taken within a few days and toll collection would begin soon after, an RBDCK official said. Monthly passes will also be available. As with other bridges, two- and three-wheeler users need not pay toll.
The RBDCK would have to repay loan and interest amounting to Rs. 11.38 crore, even after it gets Rs. 10 crore from Railway and Rs. 5 crore from the Corporation for the Rs.25-crore bridge, sources said.
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A number of political parties have put up posters and boards in the vicinity of the bridge, opposing the collection of toll. They have said that the bridge is among the narrowest in the district, with narrower service roads.
On the inordinate delay in building steel staircase linking the road with bridge’s footpath, sources said the design was ready and the structure would soon be installed. On motorists finding it difficult to cover the bridge at night due to the absence of street lights, they said help would be sought from sponsors if the Kochi Corporation did not install lights.