Centre to stop toll collection at Kumbla, claims BJP

Kozhikode: The BJP state unit has claimed that Union ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH) has decided to stop the collection of toll at the Arikady toll gate in Kumbla, Kasaragod. NHAI had commenced toll collection at the toll gate along the Talapadi-Chengalaa stretch on Jan 12, triggering strong protests with people cutting across political divides saying that toll collection violated norms on the minimum distance between toll plazas, pointing out that the Kumbla toll gate is only 20km from the Talapadi toll plaza. In a post on social media platform X, BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar thanked the Union MoRTH minister for "his swift intervention and decision to halt the proposed toll plaza at Arikady". Chandrasekhar said that he had taken up the issue with the Union minister as a new toll plaza within 25km of an existing one violates NHAI guidelines and places an unfair burden on local commuters. Former BJP state president K Surendran too had announced the development on social media. Kasaragod Police had booked around 500 identifiable protesters in connection with the violent protests at Kumbla on Jan 14, during which toll gate equipment, including cameras and FASTag sensors, were vandalized.