National Highway Authority of India plans Attingal bypass

Thiruvananthapuram: The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) is planning to construct a 13 kilometre stretch to bypass the congested Attingal town in its revised alignment to develop Chertala - Kazhakootam corridor of NH 66. “It will start from Kaduva Palli, near Kallambalam and rejoin the existing stretch at Mamam just after Attingal. This way we will be able to avoid the congested Attingal town altogether,” said R Venkata Krishnan, project director, NHAI.

The stretch though Attingal is one of the most hazardous on NH 66 and a major bottleneck in the yet to be widened Chertala-Kazhakootam corridor. Steps are underway for issuing the 3A notification for the stretch and it is expected to be complete by September. There is yet no decision on the placing of a toll booth in the stretch as it depends on the completion of the Alappuzha and Kollam bypasses, both being carried out by the Public Works Department (PWD).

“Once the bypasses are complete, the PWD will erect toll booths. Only then will we able to come to a decision on our toll booths. It is not feasible to go for separate toll booths exclusively for NHAI in the stretch as it will put a double burden on commuters,” Mr Venkata Krishnan said. As per NHAI norms, toll booths are to be placed 60 km apart. The 173 km Chertala-Kazhakootam stretch is expected to have two toll booths, one each in Alappuzha and in Kollam.