Faster but costlier: NH 66 tolls may cross ₹6,000 for Kasaragod-TVM round trip

Kannur: The upgraded NH 66 promises a faster run from the northern tip of Kerala to the capital, but the convenience comes with a hefty price tag. Motorists could end up paying more than ₹6,000 in tolls for a Kasaragod-Thiruvananthapuram round trip once the highway becomes fully operational.

Based on the toll rates fixed in 2024, a car travelling the entire Kasaragod-Thiruvananthapuram stretch would have to pay ₹1,650 one way across 11 toll plazas. As only five plazas are operational at present, motorists pay a total of ₹585 to cross them. With additional plazas being constructed and rates being revised based on the cost and nature of construction on different stretches, the one-way toll could nearly double from the 2024 rate to around ₹3,000.

Toll rates were initially to be fixed based on the construction method and cost of each stretch. However, the National Highway Authority of India says delays in completing the project and changes in construction methods at some locations have pushed up construction costs.

Toll plazas are generally planned about 60 km apart, but their spacing and rates can vary depending on the construction involved. Stretches featuring elevated roads, viaducts or tunnels will attract higher charges, with tolls for such structures expected to be up to 10 times the normal rate.

Eight more toll plazas
Eight more toll plazas are being constructed along the route, adding to the toll burden for motorists. They are at Chalingal in Kasaragod, Kalliassery in Kannur, Azhiyur in Kozhikode, Nattika in Thrissur, Eramalloor and Kripasanam Junction in Alappuzha, and Ochira and Kalluvathukkal in Kollam.

Of these, the Eramalloor plaza on the Aroor-Thuravoor elevated highway is expected to attract the highest toll. It will operate under a Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) system, allowing vehicles to pass without stopping at a toll booth. Cameras installed above the highway will identify vehicles and deduct the toll directly from the FASTag-linked account.

Costlier than Vande Bharat
The proposed toll could make a road trip between the two ends of the state costlier than taking the train. An Executive Class ticket between Kasaragod and Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat Express currently costs ₹2,860 one way, or ₹5,720 for a round trip. At around ₹3,000 each way, the NH 66 toll would cost motorists more than an Executive Class return journey by train.