Local residents at Chompala, near Vadakara, are protesting against the National Highways Authority of India's (NHAI) move to initiate toll collection on National Highway 66 (NH 66) even as a significant portion of the highway construction remains incomplete. The installation of signboards warning of an upcoming toll plaza at Chompala has sparked outrage among the local community, who feel their concerns have been completely ignored.

While toll booth construction is underway on both sides of the highway at Chompala, the actual road construction in the Vadakara sector is lagging far behind schedule. Currently, vehicles can only use the newly laid highway along the Nadapuram Road and Mukkali stretches. In several other areas, key infrastructure, including major elevated structures and flyovers, has not even begun construction. Locals argue that demanding toll payments under these conditions is unjustifiable.

Protesters also point out that the proposed setup violates basic NHAI guidelines, which mandate a minimum distance of 60 km between two toll plazas. The distance between Kainatty and Chompala is less than 10 km. Currently, there is an active toll plaza at Kolassery on the Mahe-Thalassery bypass, though there are plans to shift a poorly equipped plaza to Kalyassery. Establishing another collection point at Chompala is seen as an unfair burden on local commuters.

The lack of proper service roads at Chompala has further worsened the situation. Because tracks for the toll plaza have already been built close to the road edges, there is no physical space left to construct standard service roads. NH Action Committee district convener AT Mahesh stated that during earlier discussions facilitated by the local MP and MLA, the NHAI project director had promised to build at least a narrow slip road in lieu of a service road. However, even this compromise remains unfulfilled.

This planning failure has left around 88 families living along the highway corridor in a highly precarious situation. Sandwiched between the elevated national highway on the west and the railway line on the east, these households are practically trapped. With no proper service roads, they have no safe access points to reach the national highway from their homes, businesses, or local byroads, effectively cutting off their freedom of movement.