Ponnurunni ROB talks fail, RBDCK to continue with toll collection

KOCHI: The meeting convened by Mayor Tony Chammany on Friday with the officials of the Roads and Bridges Development Corporation of Kerala to discuss the dispute on toll collection at Ponnurunni rail over bridge failed.

The RBDCK officials have informed the Mayor that they would continue collecting toll until a government order is issued against it. Following this, the Mayor said that the corporation would approach the state government in this regard.

“We will request the government not to collect toll atleast until the Metro construction works are over,” he said.

During the meeting which was also attended by representatives of political parties, the Mayor criticised RBDCK for not consulting with the corporation before resuming toll collection.

“The corporation council had earlier requested the agency to stop toll collection until Metro works are over to which it agreed. But, now the agency suddenly resumed collecting toll which is objectionable. As the bridge is owned by the Public Works Department, the decisions of the meeting will be conveyed to the minister,” he said.

The bridge was constructed at a cost of  Rs 17.27 crore and the civic body allocated Rs 4.08 crore for acquiring 30 cents of land out of the 164 cents needed for the project.  

“A total of Rs 25.57 crore was spent for the project. Though the railway assured that they would give Rs 8 crore, they are yet to give it. Since a loan has besen taken from a bank, toll collection was resumed to pay interest on the loan,” said K Abdulla Kutty, General Manager in charge, RBDCK.  

The political representatives also objected to the toll collection and threatened that a mass protest would be organised if it is not rolled back.