Toll collection at Surathkal extended for three months

Mangaluru: Despite several protests held in the past seeking closure of the toll gate near NITK in Surathkal, it is gathered that the contract to collect toll has been extended by three months.

Presently the toll gate is being managed by A K Construction company.

The Surathkal Toll Virodhi Horata Samiti had in the past urged the NHAI not to renew the contract at Surathkal toll gate, pointing out that the toll gate had been established in 2014 on a temporary basis for six months. However, the contracts are being renewed for the last several years.

Further emphasizing that the NH guidelines insist that the distance between two toll plazas should be 40 km, the locals here have staged several protests demanding either closure or merger of the Suratkal toll gate with the one at Hejamady. Notably, the distance between the toll plazas at Surathkal and Hejamadi on NH 66 is less than 11 km.

In the wake of these protests, the NHAI had even assured of merging the two toll gates but the same is yet to be implemented.

This apart, the Surathkal toll gate lacks basic amenities such as toilets, a resting place for vehicle drivers etc.