Kochi: The High Court has directed the Centre to consider implementing the National Highway Authority of India’s (NHAI) guidelines on letting vehicles pass through without collecting the toll fee when the queue extends beyond 100 metres in any of the lanes at a toll plaza.

The HC Division Bench, including Justice Muhammed Mushtaq and Justice Shobha Annamma Eappan, was deciding on an appeal pointing out the traffic block during busy hours and the delay in clearing the queues at Paliekkara Toll Plaza in Thrissur.

Nithin Ramakrishnan, a native of Palakkad, had sought the Court in the appeal, to rule on the implementation of the guidelines, including that on the service time at the toll plazas, in the policy circular issued by the NHAI on May 24, 2021.

The Central Government’s advocate said that he would inform the Court of the explanation from the Centre on how to let the vehicles pass through the toll plaza without traffic blocks and delay.

The NHAI circular specifies, the required number of toll booths and lanes must be ensured so that the service time at the toll booths will not be more than 10 seconds even during rush hours. If the queue extends beyond 100 metres, vehicles should be let through without collecting the toll fee. This should be continued until the queue reaches within 100 metres length. A yellow line must be marked at the hundredth metre in all toll lanes at the toll plazas. These terms and conditions must also be displayed evidently near the toll plaza.