The Kerala High Court directed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to submit its explanation, if any, for not suspending toll collection at the Paliyekkara toll plaza in Thrissur. The agency was asked to file its response by July 7, the date on which the petition will next come up for consideration.

The Division Bench, comprising Justices A Muhamed Mustaque and Johnson John, issued the directive while hearing a sub-petition filed by KPCC Secretary Shaji Kodankandath.

Earlier, a report submitted by a committee including the Thrissur District Collector, Superintendent of Police and local MLA had pointed to the poor condition of interior roads as the main cause of the severe traffic congestion in the area. The ongoing construction of an underpass on the National Highway has further compounded the problem. The Collector also noted that the underpass work had commenced without adequate planning or preparation.

'Missed my exam because of traffic'
T S Neethu, a student who missed her UGC-NET examination yesterday due to the traffic jam on the NH, shared her distressing experience.

“I had been preparing for the JRF examination for over a year. The exam centre was at Pongam near Koratty, around 40 km from my home in Elthuruthu. I was aware of possible traffic issues on the highway, so I left at 6 am for the examination that began at 9 am. But by 7 am, just 6 km from the centre, I got caught in a complete standstill on the NH. I waited until 8.55 am but couldn’t move forward even an inch. Eventually, I had to turn back, realising it was futile. I never imagined such a severe block that early in the morning. Had I known, I would have tried to walk the last stretch. Authorities must understand the hardships people like me are facing.”