The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has commenced commercial operation of Nathampatti toll plaza on Vadugapatti-Therkku Venganallur stretch of four-lane highway by collecting user fee from the vehicles on Monday.

Though the four-lane highway project was completed at a cost of ₹1,318 crore in March, the NHAI could not start the toll collection on the 35.6-km stretch as the Model Code of Conduct for Tamil Nadu Assembly election came into force.

The work on this stretch between Vadugapatti in Madurai district and Therkku Venganallur in Virudhunagar district began in April 2023. It was part of the Tirumangalam-Kollam four-lane highway project. However, the work on the other stretch of the highway between Tirumangalam and Vadugapatti was yet to be completed.

The toll plaza has four toll gates on each direction with the extreme left lane reserved for emergency vehicles such as ambulances and fire engines.

“We are charging only for the completed 50% of the highway stretch between Tirumangalam and Therkku Venganallur,” said NHAI Project Director (Nagercoil) Sachin Kumar.

This stretch of the road has a bypass for Srivilliputtur and Rajapalayam towns.

The salient feature of the project is that the entire stretch of 35.6 km has seamless median preventing vehicles from straying from one side of the road to the other side.

In order to make the road safe, the NHAI has provided 20 underpasses and flyovers through which the vehicles could change to opposite lane.

The toll plaza at Nathampatti has Nest Mini that provides clean restrooms, drinking water, and packaged food.

Besides, this stretch has crane, route patrol vehicles, and truck parking bays. Similarly, the stretch has been covered with PTZ cameras for effective monitoring of the traffic through Advanced Traffic Management System.

Local non-commercial vehicles can get a monthly pass for ₹350. Annual pass of ₹3,075 is valid in the toll plaza.

With local vehicles, mostly two-wheelers, violating lane discipline leading to road accidents, the NHAI has been creating awareness about its danger among the people in local villages, Mr. Sachin Kumar said.