Toll Storm Erupts in Kerala: CPI(M) Says Pay Up Only When NH 66 Is Done

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] has opposed the collection of toll at Nattika in Kerala, stating that it should not begin before the works on National Highway 66 are fully completed. The party has announced a march to the Nattika toll office on October 7 to protest the early toll collection.

The CPI(M) says several bridges and approach roads on the NH 66 stretch remain unfinished, making toll collection premature and unjustified. The party argues that motorists should not be charged for a highway that is not fully operational. The Nattika toll plaza is part of the NH 66 expansion project, which has faced delays and incomplete infrastructure.

The protest highlights growing public discontent over tolling incomplete highway projects in Kerala. If the march proceeds, it could intensify pressure on the National Highways Authority of India and the state government to delay toll collection until all works are finished. The outcome may set a precedent for similar disputes across India.