Kerala: National Highway work divided as four stand-alones'

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Public Works Department has categorised National Highway development to four stand-alone projects as works costing more than Rs 1000 crore requires Union sanction. The four projects are Thalapady - Vengalam, Vengalam - Kuttipuram, Kuttipuram - Edapally and Cherthala - Kazhakkoo-ttam stretches, where the NH would be widened to 45 meters. During a high-level meeting of district collectors, PWD NH officials recently convened by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan it was decided to commence work at Kasaragod district by May.

A top department official told DC that the Detailed Project Report on the 87 km stretch has already been submitted before the union surface transport ministry. Incidentally a whopping Rs 3,300 crore is required for the 87 km stretch alone, which prompted the department to categorise the projects in to four. “For developing a kilometre road in Kerala, it requires Rs 35 - Rs 40 crore. But the national average is only Rs 20 crore for a kilometre. The terrain in Kerala is different involving constraints in form of retaining walls and structures pushing up construction costs”, said a top PWD official to DC.

At the same time, the officials are worried about the inordinate delay in sanctioning the land acquisition compensation.  It requires minimum six months to get the sanction from various union departments. By dividing the projects officials hope delay can be averted. Almost 65 per cent of land acquisition in Kasaragod has been completed where survey work has been completed and also the evaluation on the number of trees which have to be axed. Next step before the NH officials is to award the compensation to the affected persons in the region.

But officials experienced issues at Quilandy, Kannur bypass and also at Kanhangad areas where the locals have expressed apprehension on losing land. Meanwhile, tender process has already been completed on Thalasserry - Mahe bypass for an amount of '850 crore. At the same time, Kozhikode bypass tendering work is expected to be completed within this month. The alignment for the 140 km Cherthala - Kazhakoottam stretch has already been approved where survey work is expected to be completed soon.