Protesters demand toll suspension at Nattika until highway work completes

The protest march, held at the minister's office in Nattika, reflected growing discontent among residents and commuters over toll charges levied while critical infrastructure work remains incomplete on the busy highway corridor.

Demonstrators pressed for several key demands, including suspension of toll collection until all bridge and service road construction projects are finished. They also sought an exemption from toll charges for local vehicles, citing the disruption and access issues caused by prolonged roadworks affecting the region.

The agitators emphasized that toll collection should not proceed parallel to construction activities, arguing that commuters are already bearing the burden of traffic congestion and travel delays. The protest underscores concerns among Kerala residents about the pace of project completion and the fairness of charging toll during the construction phase.

The demonstration represents ongoing tensions between authorities managing the highway project and local communities who depend on the route for daily commuting and commerce. Officials have not yet issued a formal response to the protesters' demands, though toll operations on the stretch continue uninterrupted.