NHAI is to guarantee that each vehicle equipped with a FasTag passes through the toll plaza within a span of 10 seconds, and that the length of queues does not surpass 100 meters, as stated by the court.
The interim ruling was issued in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) submitted by O.J. Janeesh, which called for effective traffic regulation and the alleviation of congestion at the toll plaza. Citing NHAI guidelines, the court indicated that vehicles should be allowed to pass through the toll booth without incurring charges if the queue exceeds the stipulated limit of 100 meters.
It instructed the NHAI to rigorously enforce this directive, and in the event of non-compliance, to provide an affidavit detailing the reasons for such failure. The case is scheduled for further consideration on May 21.
On April 28, the District Collector of Thrissur suspended toll collection at the Paliyekkara toll plaza due to significant traffic congestion, primarily caused by ongoing construction of an underpass on National Highway 544. The Collector also mandated the NHAI to implement immediate measures to ensure a smooth flow of vehicles, with assistance from the police. This order was later rescinded after the NHAI committed to taking corrective actions.
