Mangaluru: After protests Surathkal toll plaza defers toll collection from local vehicles

coastaldigest.com web desk

February 28, 2019

Mangaluru, Feb 28: Following protests from locals and request from Member of Parliament Nalin Kumar Kateel, the contractor at the National Highway Authority of India's (NHAI) toll plaza at Surathkal has decided to defer collection of toll for local vehicles with registration number KA 19 (local vehicles).

Messrs Keshav Agarwal, the new firm operating the toll plaza in Surathkal since November 2018, had announced collection of toll from local vehicles from Friday.

The firm had said that it will incur a loss of ₹ 3 lakh per day if it did not collect toll from local vehicles.

Protests were held on Thursday near the Surathkal toll plaza and near the office of the Deputy Commissioner against the decision of the agency.

Convenor of Nagarika Horata Samiti, Surathkal, Muneer Katipalla, said that residents are firm on their demand for scrapping the toll plaza at Surathkal. The NHAI had decided to merge the toll plaza with the one in Hejamady and this has not been acted upon till date. “Till completion of this process, we do not want toll to be collected from local vehicles,” he said in his speech at the protest in Surathkal.

Chief Executive Officer of Panambur Beach Toursim Project Yatish Baikampady, president of Kanara Small Scale Industries Association Gaurav Hegde and others made the same demand during their protest near the office of the Deputy Commissioner.

After a meeting of Vaibhav Dange, private secretary to the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, with NHAI and other officials, Mr. Kateel told reporters here on Thurday that the Union government will take a decision in a month on closing down the toll gate at Surathkal.

“Till such time, no toll should be collected from local vehicles,” he said.

Regional Officer of NHAI, Bengaluru, R.K. Suryawanshi, said that there are complications in merging the NHAI toll plaza in Surathkal with the one in Hejmady as the two projects have been taken up by different companies.

“In the meeting on Thursday it was proposed to merge the Surathkal toll plaza with the NHAI toll plaza in Brahmarakudlu (near B.C. Road),” he added. Mr. Suryawanshi said that accordingly a proposal will be placed by the NHAI before the Union government, which will then take a decision.

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Air India Express brings back Mangaluru–Muscat direct flights from March 2026

News Network

December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Air India Express has announced that it will resume direct flight services between Mangaluru and Muscat from March 2026, restoring an important international air link for passengers from the coastal region.

Airport authorities said the service will operate twice a week—on Sundays and Tuesdays—from March 1. The initial flights are scheduled on March 3, 8 and 10, followed by March 15 and 17, with the same operating pattern to continue thereafter. The flight duration is approximately three hours and 25 minutes.

The Mangaluru–Muscat route was earlier operated under the 2025 summer schedule, with services beginning on July 14. At that time, Air India Express had operated four flights a week before suspending the service.

Officials said the summer schedule will come into effect from March 29, after which changes in flight timings and departure schedules from Mangaluru are expected. Passengers have been advised to check the latest schedules while planning their travel.

The resumption of direct flights to Muscat is expected to significantly benefit expatriates, business travellers and others, further strengthening Mangaluru’s air connectivity with the Gulf region.

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