Paliyekkara Toll Plaza is an important toll collection point on National Highway 544 in Thrissur district, Kerala. It serves vehicles travelling between Thrissur, Chalakudy, Angamaly, Aluva, Kochi and other destinations in central Kerala.
The plaza is located near Paliyekkara, Nenmanikkara and Pudukad, south of Thrissur city. It collects toll for the Thrissur–Angamaly–Edappally highway section.
Older maps and highway records may identify the road as NH 47. Following the renumbering of National Highways, the Salem–Palakkad–Thrissur–Kochi corridor is now officially numbered NH 544.
Paliyekkara Toll Plaza Quick Overview
| Particular | Details |
| Official name | Paliyekkara Fee Plaza |
| Common names | Paliyekkara Toll Plaza and Paliyekkara Toll Gate |
| Location | Near Paliyekkara, Nenmanikkara and Pudukad |
| District | Thrissur |
| State | Kerala |
| Current highway number | NH 544 |
| Former highway number | NH 47 |
| Highway section | Thrissur–Angamaly–Edappally |
| Toll-plaza chainage | Km 278.000 |
| Tollable distance | Approximately 64.94 km |
| Toll-plaza code | 123001 |
| Project type | BOT Toll project |
| Highway configuration | Four-lane highway |
| Number of toll lanes | Twelve |
| Toll collection began | December 2012 |
| Concessionaire | Guruvayoor Infrastructure Private Limited |
| Main payment method | FASTag |
| Toll control room | 8130006610 |
| National Highway helpline | 1033 |
| Approximate coordinates | 10.442868, 76.260179 |
| Nearest railway station | Pudukad Railway Station |
| NHAI project office | PIU Palakkad |
Paliyekkara is one of Kerala’s busiest toll plazas. It handles private cars, interstate buses, tourist vehicles and commercial traffic moving between Thrissur and the Kochi region.
Paliyekkara Toll Plaza Rates
The following rates represent the older tariff that continued to be collected after the Kerala High Court allowed toll collection to resume but prevented implementation of the higher September 2025 rates.
| Vehicle category | Single journey | Multiple journeys within 24 hours | Monthly pass |
| Car, jeep or van | ₹90 | ₹140 | ₹2,760 |
| Light commercial vehicle or minibus | ₹160 | ₹240 | ₹4,830 |
| Bus or two-axle truck | ₹320 | ₹485 | ₹9,660 |
| Multi-axle or specified heavy vehicle | ₹515 | ₹775 | ₹15,525 |
A car, jeep or van pays ₹90 for one crossing. Multiple journeys through the plaza within the permitted 24-hour period are charged at ₹140 under the operative pre-hike tariff.
Drivers may find some toll websites showing ₹95 as the car rate. That amount belongs to the revised September 2025 tariff, which the Kerala High Court prevented from being collected until further orders.
The FASTag transaction message should therefore be checked after every crossing because the applicable tariff depends on the latest court and toll-authority directions.
Single and Multiple-Journey Charges Explained
The ₹90 car rate applies when the vehicle crosses Paliyekkara Toll Plaza once.
The ₹140 charge is intended for more than one journey through the plaza within the applicable 24-hour period. It is not ₹140 for each direction.
For example, a car travelling from Thrissur towards Kochi and returning through Paliyekkara within the permitted period may pay ₹140 in total instead of two separate ₹90 charges.
The same active FASTag should be used for all eligible crossings. The toll system may deduct the normal one-way amount during the first crossing and adjust the remaining amount during the later crossing.
A journey completed after the validity period may be treated as a new single journey.
Important Current Toll Status
Toll collection at Paliyekkara was temporarily suspended by the Kerala High Court in August 2025 because of severe congestion, damaged road sections and construction-related disruption on the Mannuthy–Edappally corridor.
The Supreme Court declined to interfere with that temporary suspension. After repair and traffic-management measures were reported, the Kerala High Court allowed toll collection to resume on October 17, 2025.
However, the court imposed an important condition: the higher tariff announced for September 2025 could not be collected until further orders.
This explains why the toll plaza continued operating while the earlier tariff remained applicable. Drivers should distinguish between:
- Toll collection being permitted
- A revised rate being officially notified
- The revised rate being legally allowed to be collected
The road-work and traffic-management case continued under judicial monitoring during 2026.
Local Resident Monthly Pass
Published concession arrangements for Paliyekkara include special monthly passes for eligible residents living near the toll plaza.
| Residential distance from plaza | Local monthly-pass charge |
| Within 10 kilometres | ₹150 |
| More than 10 km and within 20 kilometres | ₹300 |
These local concessions are different from the standard ₹2,760 monthly pass for a car, jeep or van.
Applicants may be required to provide:
- Vehicle registration certificate
- Aadhaar card or another identity document
- Current residential-address proof
- Active FASTag linked to the vehicle
- Registered mobile number
- Recent photograph
- Completed application form
The concession is normally linked to one resident, vehicle and FASTag. The toll administration must verify the applicant’s residential distance.
Merely having a Thrissur district vehicle registration does not automatically activate the concession.
School-Bus Pass
The published tariff has also provided a special monthly facility for eligible school buses regularly using the toll-plaza section.
The listed school-bus monthly pass under the operative tariff is:
₹1,000 per month
The school or vehicle operator may need to provide the registration certificate, school authorisation, route details, permit and FASTag information.
A vehicle used for general commercial passenger transport should not be assumed to qualify merely because it occasionally carries students.
Address and Exact Location
The commonly used address is: Paliyekkara Toll Plaza, NH 544, Paliyekkara, Thalavanikkara, Nenmanikkara, near Pudukad, Thrissur District, Kerala 680301.
The approximate coordinates are:
- Latitude: 10.442868
- Longitude: 76.260179
Directions to Paliyekkara Toll Plaza
1. From Thrissur
Join NH 544 and travel south towards Mannuthy, Amballur, Pudukad, Chalakudy and Kochi.
Continue through the Mannuthy and Amballur sections. The toll plaza is reached near Paliyekkara before Pudukad.
Remain on the Kochi-bound carriageway and select the appropriate FASTag lane early.
2. From Kochi or Edappally
Join NH 544 towards Aluva, Angamaly, Chalakudy and Thrissur.
Continue north through Aluva, Angamaly, Koratty and Chalakudy. Travel past the Pudukad side towards Paliyekkara.
The toll plaza is reached before the Amballur and Thrissur sections.
3. From Chalakudy
Travel north on NH 544 towards Pudukad and Thrissur.
Continue on the main Thrissur-bound carriageway. Follow the toll-lane signs after passing the Pudukad area.
4. From Angamaly
Join NH 544 towards Chalakudy and Thrissur.
Continue north through Koratty and Chalakudy. Paliyekkara Toll Plaza is reached after the Pudukad section.
5. From Irinjalakuda
Use the appropriate road towards Pudukad, Amballur or NH 544.
Join the highway through an authorised junction. Select the Thrissur-bound or Kochi-bound carriageway according to the destination.
6. From Palakkad
Travel towards Thrissur using NH 544.
Continue through Vadakkencherry, Kuthiran and Mannuthy. Vehicles travelling farther south towards Chalakudy or Kochi will cross Paliyekkara Toll Plaza.
Other toll plazas may apply during the complete Palakkad–Kochi journey.
Paliyekkara and Panniyankara Toll Plazas Are Different
Paliyekkara Toll Plaza and Panniyankara Toll Plaza are separate toll facilities on NH 544.
Paliyekkara is located south of Thrissur near Pudukad. It covers the Thrissur–Angamaly–Edappally highway section.
Panniyankara is located farther east near Vadakkencherry in Palakkad district. It is associated with the six-lane Vadakkencherry–Thrissur highway section and the Kuthiran corridor.
A vehicle travelling between Palakkad and Kochi may cross both toll plazas. Separate FASTag deductions from Panniyankara and Paliyekkara are not automatically duplicate charges.
FASTag and Payment Information
FASTag is the standard electronic payment method at Paliyekkara Toll Plaza. Before travelling, drivers should ensure that the tag:
- Is active and has sufficient balance
- Is correctly attached to the windscreen
- Is linked to the correct vehicle registration number
- Shows the proper vehicle category
- Has completed the required KYC
- Is not damaged, suspended or blacklisted
Maintain adequate distance from the vehicle ahead while entering the toll lane. Driving too close can affect FASTag scanning.
Save the transaction messages until the complete journey is over, especially when using the multiple-journey concession.
An incorrect deduction can be reported through the FASTag-issuing bank or National Highway helpline 1033.
FASTag Annual Pass
The NHAI FASTag Annual Pass costs ₹3,075 for the 2026–27 financial year. It is intended for eligible privately registered, non-commercial cars, jeeps and vans.
The pass remains valid for one year from activation or 200 eligible toll-plaza crossings, whichever is completed first.
Before relying on it at Paliyekkara, drivers should confirm through RajmargYatra that:
- Paliyekkara Fee Plaza appears in the eligible-plaza list
- The vehicle is privately registered and non-commercial
- The FASTag is linked to the correct vehicle
- The registered category is car, jeep or van
- The tag is active and KYC-compliant
One passage through an open toll plaza normally counts as one crossing. Travelling through Paliyekkara and returning generally counts as two crossings.
Highway Facilities and Emergency Contacts
A static weighbridge is available at the plaza. Dedicated public rest areas and truck lay-bys are not shown in the current toll listing.
| Service | Contact number |
| National Highway emergency assistance | 1033 |
| Highway emergency service | 1073 |
| Toll control room | 8130006610 |
| Crane assistance | 7994777180 |
| Ambulance assistance | 8136833322 |
| Route-patrol assistance | 8136833311 |
| Government ambulance | 108 |
| Medical emergency service | 102 |
| Pudukad Police Station | 0480-2751336 |
| NHAI PIU Palakkad | 8130006162 |
Nearby medical facilities include government and private hospitals around Pudukad, Thalore, Ollur and Thrissur.
When requesting help, provide the highway number, travel direction, nearest landmark, vehicle registration number and nature of the emergency.
Traffic and Safety Tips
Paliyekkara and the surrounding NH 544 section may experience heavy congestion during:
- Morning and evening peak hours
- Friday and Sunday travel periods
- Public holidays and festival seasons
- Sabarimala pilgrimage traffic
- Road widening and underpass construction
- Heavy monsoon rainfall
- Accidents or vehicle breakdowns
Choose the correct toll lane early and avoid sudden lane changes near the booths.
Construction work around Muringoor, Koratty, Amballur and other junctions may affect traffic flow. Drivers should check current road conditions before travelling between Thrissur and Kochi.
During heavy rain, reduce speed and allow more braking distance. Local buses, motorcycles and vehicles entering from service roads require additional caution.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Why do some websites show a ₹95 car toll while FASTag deducts ₹90?
A: ₹95 belongs to the revised September 2025 tariff. When toll collection resumed in October 2025, the Kerala High Court directed that the higher tariff should not be collected until further orders.
Q2: Does every Thrissur-to-Kochi journey cross Paliyekkara Toll Plaza?
A: Vehicles using the normal NH 544 route through Amballur, Pudukad, Chalakudy and Angamaly generally cross the plaza. A different local or coastal route may avoid it but can take longer.
Q3: Why was toll collection temporarily stopped in 2025?
A: The Kerala High Court suspended collection because road construction, damaged service roads and severe congestion caused major inconvenience to travellers. Collection later resumed under court-imposed conditions.
Q4: How can an incorrect Paliyekkara FASTag deduction be challenged?
A: Save the transaction message and note the plaza name, date, time and vehicle number. Report the transaction through the FASTag-issuing bank or call 1033. Include details of both crossings when disputing a multiple-journey charge.
