The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is evaluating the technical bid of the Hyderabad-based KMC construction company to develop the 28.8-km Kozhikode bypass into a six-lane carriageway.
KMC and four other companies, including the Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society (ULCCS), had submitted bids for the project. Since the KMC’s bid was the lowest , its tender was likely to be approved soon, officials said.
The ₹1,424.77-crore project to widen the existing two-lane highway stretching from Vengalam to Idimuzhikkal is said to be the largest of any NHAI project in terms of cost per km. The contract based on hybrid annuity model for completing the work is for two-and-a-half years. The proposal to widen the bypass was taken in accordance with the hybrid annuity model in which the government will contribute 40% of the project cost to start work while the remaining investment has to be made by the contractor.
A total of 130 hectares of land required for widening the bypass into 45-metre-width had already been acquired. The widening is expected to decongest the section of NH 17 (new NH 66).
Proposals have been made to construct four major bridges, a minor bridge, seven flyovers, two vehicle underpasses, 17 pedestrian underpasses, 64 pipe culverts and 39 box culverts. There will also be 27.30-km service roads.
The widening of the Kozhikode bypass is expected to ease traffic congestion as well as reduce the number of road accidents in the city. Malaparamba, Thondayad and Ramanattukara junctions have been experiencing traffic blocks.
At present, vehicles from Vadakara side and Kozhikode mini bypass stretching from West Hill Chungam to Meenchanda use the Kozhikode bypass to proceed to Calicut airport and Thrissur and vice versa without entering the city.
