In what comes as an interim relief to many residents and commuters frequenting Chennai’s Old Mahabalipuram Road-IT Expressway, the Tamil Nadu government has suspended the operations of four toll booths along this route — Perungudi, Medavakam, Kalaignar Salai and Thoraipakkam toll booths. There will be no toll collections at these toll booths from August 30, EV Velu, Minister for Public Works, had announced in the Tamil Nadu legislative Assembly on Friday, August 27. The Navalur toll gate on this stretch, however, will reportedly continue to remain operational.
The Minister cited the ongoing metro rail operations for closing the Perungudi, Medavakam, Kalaignar Salai and Thoraipakkam toll gates. It remains to be seen if the closure will extend even after the completion of the metro rail project. However, the announcement comes as a relief to the residents and commuters alike. The closure of these toll booths has been a long-standing demand from the public.
Although the residents have a monthly pass, the time spent at the booths has been causing frustration among them. Cab drivers have to pay the toll rates during their trips over the course of the day, depleting their income, Puthiyathalaimurai TV reported recently.
In 2020, when the AIADMK was in power, DMK MP Tamizhachi Thangapandian had written to Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadakri, requesting the closure of five toll booths along the OMR and the East Coast Road. She cited severe frustration among commuters and residents, particularly during peak hours. There were also protests the same year, demanding the closure of the five booths along the OMR and ECR.
MP Dayanidhi Maran, who had also been present at the protests, had written to the then Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, stating the toll gates were in violation of the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008. The Act prohibited toll plazas within 10 kilometres of the city corporation limits.
Residents of Thoraipakkam in 2019 had staged protests demanding the closure of the toll booth and cited an RTI application that revealed government permission had not been given for the operation of a toll plaza on the Radial Road, where the toll booth was situated, DTNext reported that year.