The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will open the bid for the Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC) contract for the four-laning of the Kazhakuttam-Mukkola stretch of the NH 66 bypass on December 16.
The NHAI was forced to go for the EPC mode following the intervention of Shashi Tharoor, MP. Two attempts to take up the much-delayed work on the build operate transfer (BOT) mode failed due to poor response from companies.
The financial and technical bids for the Rs.750-crore four-laning of the 22.5 km from Kazhakuttam to Mukkola, on the Balaramapuram-Vizhanjam road, will be opened on December 16, the NHAI informed Dr. Tharoor.
The Rs.167-crore compensation for those surrendering land for the bypass project, at Chenkal and Karode villages, had also been given the nod. With this, the decks for completing the land acquisition for the remaining stretch of the 43.62-km bypass had been cleared, sources said.
The total compensation sanctioned for land acquisition in five villages for 1,659 persons was Rs.440.86 crore. The breakup of the allotment and the affected persons per village were as follows: Kottukal (Rs.78.60 crore; 314 persons), Tirupuram (Rs.89.67 crore; 241), Kanjiramkulam (Rs.104.94 crore; 239), Chenkal (Rs.112.46 crore; 616), and Karode (Rs.55.18 crore; 249).
The 43.62-km stretch, from Kazhakuttam to Inchivila, is part of the 212-km NH-47 bypass project of the NHAI in the State from Thuravur. It started in 1974. The 22.6-km first phase, from Kazhakuttam to Mukkola had been converted into two lane about 15 years ago.
Land acquiredThe State had acquired land for the four-lane project, for an envisaged width of 45 metre, but the work was delayed owing to various issues.
The project includes construction of four major bridges, including a new two-lane one at Akkulam; 60 culverts; a rail over-bridge at Chakka; and 11 underpasses. The construction of the rail over-bridge and alignment of two lanes in front of the airport are expected to pose major challenges to the project officials.
