The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) commenced work on improving the battered road surface at the erstwhile NITK-Surathkal Toll Plaza on NH 66 on Wednesday, August 2, following public outrage against the pathetic condition of the toll lanes.
The Hindu had written about the pathetic condition of the road surface in the report, ‘Road lanes inside erstwhile NIKT-Surathkal toll gate on NH 66 still in pathetic condition’ on July 24. The toll collection at the plaza came to a halt on December 1, 2022, following multiple protests by NITK-Surathkal Toll Gate Virodhi Horata Samithi and the general public opposing toll collection within the Mangaluru corporation limits.
The National Highways Authority of India has commenced work on improving the battered road surface at the NITK-Surathkal Toll Plaza on NH 66, in Mangaluru. | Photo Credit: ANIL KUMAR SASTRY
Concrete surface
NHAI’s Mangaluru Project Implementation Unit director Abdulla Javed Azmi told The Hindu that the paver blocks forming the road surface inside the toll lanes were being removed to undertake the repairs. Once they were removed, the authority would lay the concrete road surface in the location, for about 100 m length. Vehicular movement thus becomes smooth, he said.
Toll plaza structure
Regarding the dilapidated structure of the toll plaza, Mr. Azmi said the authority would renew the plaza too. Till the toll payable at the erstwhile NITK-Surathakl toll plaza gets amalgamated at the Hejmady toll plaza as per the Union Road Transport Ministry, the structure could not be removed, he said.
There was no support from the State government to collect the combined toll of Surahtkal and Hejmady at the Hejmady plaza. It was the State government’s responsibility to maintain law and order.
The NHAI was bound by the concession agreement for the construction, maintenance, and toll collection of the B.C. Road-Surathkal Port Connectivity Project. The toll would have to be collected for the stretch as per the agreement, the Project Director said.
