Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Thursday extended its interim order halting toll collection at the Paliyekkara toll plaza on the Mannuthy–Edappally stretch of NH 544 till September 9. A division bench comprising Justice A Muhammed Mustaque and Justice Harisankar V Menon issued the order while hearing a batch of pleas concerning the poor condition of the National Highway.

The court extended the suspension of toll collection as the pleas will be taken up again on September 9. It also directed the state government to constitute a panel to devise an interim traffic management plan for the congested stretch of NH 544, particularly around the Paliyekkara toll plaza.

It was on August 6, the High Court had ordered a two-week halt to toll collection at Paliyekkara, citing lapses on the part of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) in addressing persistent traffic congestion and the poor condition of the Mannuthy–Edappally stretch of the highway.

Although the NHAI moved an appeal before the Supreme Court challenging the High Court’s directive, the apex court, led by Chief Justice BR Gavai, came down heavily on officials over the hours-long traffic snarls on the Thrissur–Ernakulam stretch of NH 544. The Supreme Court also upheld the High Court’s order suspending toll collection at Paliyekkara.

Over the past seven financial years, the Paliyekkara raked in ₹925 crore. This is way more than all other toll booths in Kerala.Figures presented in Parliament by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways show that the plaza’s daily average takings stand at ₹5.33 lakh. In 2025 alone, up to the end of June, motorists have paid ₹46.25 crore at its gates. Annual collections at Paliyekkara toll plaza routinely cross the ₹100-crore mark.