Arikkady Toll Plaza on NH-66 at Kumbale Withdrawn After Public Protest

The Arikkady toll plaza on National Highway-66 at Kumbale has been withdrawn following strong and sustained public opposition. The decision was welcomed across the region, with both the Toll Abolition Action Committee and local BJP leaders holding separate victory celebrations in Kumbale on Tuesday evening.

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has directed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to remove the toll plaza and has signed a written order to that effect. An official notification confirming the withdrawal is expected to be issued on February 4. According to BJP Kasaragod district president M.L. Ashwini, the decision was communicated by the Union Minister to the BJP Kerala state president over the phone.

With the withdrawal now confirmed, the move is being described as a major victory for the people of the region. The agitation, led by local residents and political representatives, achieved results within a relatively short period.

While the BJP district unit did not directly participate in the protest, party leaders said they consistently raised the issue with the Union government. Representations were submitted to Minister Gadkari and the NHAI chairman seeking removal of the toll plaza. Ashwini released documents on Tuesday evening detailing these efforts.

Toll collection at Arikkady had initially been postponed but was resumed on January 12, 2026. This prompted the launch of an indefinite sit-in protest near the toll plaza under the banner of an all-party Toll Abolition Action Committee, led by local MLA A.K.M. Ashraf.

The committee argued that a toll plaza should not be allowed within 22 kilometres of the Kerala–Karnataka border and maintained that toll collection should not begin before a final court verdict. During the continuous protest, tensions escalated, and some youths who gathered in solidarity allegedly damaged CCTV cameras, gates, and other infrastructure at the toll plaza.

As the matter was pending before the High Court, the action committee repeatedly stated that toll collection should be halted until a final decision was delivered. During a hearing on January 28, the NHAI’s counsel was absent, leading the court to adjourn the case to February 4.

Observers noted that the development echoes the earlier withdrawal of the Surathkal toll plaza in Dakshina Kannada, which was removed after nearly a decade of sustained public protest.

Following the announcement, separate victory celebrations were organised. Leaders including Ashraf Karle, C.A. Zubair, Lakshmana Prabhu, A.K. Arif, and Asif Kalathur led the programme organised by the Toll Abolition Action Committee. The BJP celebration was attended by district president M.L. Ashwini, Koyikkode zone vice-president Vijay Kumar Rai, district vice-president Muralidhara Yadav, and other party leaders.