HC orders traffic inspection of NH 544, toll collection at Paliyekkara stays halted

Kochi: The Kerala High Court here on Tuesday directed the Thrissur district collector Arjun Pandyan and the interim traffic management committee to conduct a fresh traffic inspection of the Edappally-Mannuthy stretch of NH 544. The court took the move after observing a 12-hour-long congestion on the stretch on August 16.

The division bench comprising Justice A Muhammed Mustaque and Justice Harisankar V Menon junked the plea moved by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) seeking permission to resume toll collection at Paliyekkara. The court ruled that the toll collection will remain halted until further orders. The High Court is expected to hear the pleas related to the NH 544 on September 9.

In its directive to the district collector, the division bench said that the traffic inspection must be conducted in the presence of the NHAI officials within the next two weeks. 

The HC issued the order while considering the writ petitions filed over the severe traffic jam in the Mannuthy-Edappally stretch of NH 544.

On August 6, the Kerala High Court ordered a four-week suspension of the toll collection at Paliyekkara. Though the NHAI approached the Supreme Court against this order, its appeal was rejected. 

The Interim Traffic Management Committee, constituted pursuant to the court's directions, submitted its inspection report after visiting several locations along NH 544 on August 23. The Committee noted that the recurring congestion was primarily the result of diverted traffic and insufficient capacity of service roads. 

“The only lasting solution is the systematic repair and strengthening of service roads,” the Committee observed, recommending widening of service lanes wherever safety permitted.

During the hearing, counsel for the NHAI told the court that substantial works had already been completed, enabling smoother traffic movement.

(with Live Law inputs)