Motorists Passing Surathkal Toll Gate Still Face Difficulty Due to Bad Conditions of The Road

Though toll collection at the erstwhile NITK-Surathkal toll gate ended on December 1 last year, road users continue to suffer as the stretch has multiple potholes and craters on the National Highway 66. The two lanes inside the toll gate and one each lane on either side of it for local vehicles are full of craters endangering the safety of vehicle users. The lanes were in poor condition even when the toll was being collected by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). NH 66 passing through the erstwhile NITK-Surathkal toll plaza continues to remain in a pathetic condition endangering lives of motorists.

The toll gate was constantly being opposed by local residents. The Union Road Transport Ministry finally issued a notification closing down the Surathkal toll gate and merging it with the Hejmady toll plaza a few km ahead in November last year. Toll collection officially stopped at the Surathkal toll gate from December 1 while the NHAI could not commence collecting the merged toll charges at the Hejmady toll plaza following stiff resistance from road users of Udupi district.