Leg up for four-lane coastal highway plan in Kerala

Kochi: The Roads and Bridges Development Corporation (RBDCK) would start construction works of four bridges that form the core of the four-lane coastal highway project from Ponnani in Malapuram district to Vengalam in Kozhikode district, by this year, thus giving a fresh impetus to the 72-km project.

“Construction is already going on from Asanpadi (South of Tirur) to Tannur Town. However, we’re facing a major problem in the form of land acquisition. The local MLAs have promised to handover land for four bridges and in that case, we would start the work this year itself,” said Mohammed Hanish, Managing Director, RBDCK which has been entrusted with the project.

The bridges are proposed to come up at Tirur, Vallikunnam, Chaliyam and Beppur. The state government had earlier allocated '117 crore for the first phase of the Vallarpadam container terminal-Ponnani-Kozhikode road, which will decongest the narrow NH 17.

The new corridor will be vital since the four-laning work of NH 17 has been held up due to paucity of funds. “The coastal highway project is such that only certain stretches need to be built as already roads exist in many parts of the proposed alignment. It reduces the distance between Ernakulam and Kozhikode to 170 kms from the present 200,” the officer said.

Meanwhile, KSRTC has started operating nearly 20 services via Chanravattom bridge (NH 17) from Vytilla Hub to the northern side, the timings of which are as follows :-
Departure time from Vytilla to Kozhikode – 5 am, 5.30 am. 6 am, 7 am, 7.30 am, 9.30 am, 10.30 am, 11 am, 12 noon, 4 pm, 4.30 pm, 5.30 pm.
Departure time from Vytilla to Guruvayur – 6.15 pm, 7.35 pm, 8.30 pm, 10.05 pm, 10.30 pm, 11 pm.