After many hiccups related to fund constraints of the company that took up the contract, the much awaited widening work on the National Highway stretch between Vadakkanchery and Mannuthy has started progressing in full swing.
According to the National Highways Authority of India, a total of 200 workers are engaged in the six-lining work using road rollers, tipper vehicles, earth movers and bitumen-concrete mixing equipment. The equipment consisting of Boomer drill rigs will cut a one-km-long tunnel through the Kuthiran Hills to help avoid vehicular congestions while traversing the hills.
The work on the 28-km stretch is going on a fast pace so as to avoid soil erosion during the onset of southwest monsoon. Tunnelling work at the Kuthiran Hills using latest drilling equipment is progressing fast.
Tunnels at Kuthiran
The stretch is a vital part of the highway linking Palakkad and Thrissur. Mumbai-based Pragathi Engineering and Rail Project Private Limited has bagged the sub-contract for the Kuthiran tunnel construction at a cost of Rs.200 crore. Sources from the company, which had earlier done similar works for Mumbai-Pune Express Highway and Konkan Railway Corporation, said the tunnelling work would be completed in another six months.
As per the existing plan, the widening work would be completed by May 2017. In Kuthiran, there would be two tunnels and each would have 14 m width and 10 m height. New road overbridges would be built at Vadakkanchery, Mannuthy and Irumbu Palam.
At present, a consortium of seven banks is offering loans to conduct the widening work. The estimated expense is Rs.800 crore. A toll plaza would be set up at Panniyankara, near Vadakkanchery.
The poor condition of the existing road and the indiscriminate delay in six-laning had created traffic snarls that last several hours.
It was in 2010 that a Hyderabad-based private company undertook the contract for the widening work, promising to complete in 30 months. However, land acquisition was delayed till May 2013. The work was resumed following strong pressure from the State government and the civil society movements in Thrissur.
Works to cost Rs.800 cr.
Toll plaza to come up
at Panniyankara
