Work on 16 of the 26 bypasses on the national highway and State highway is yet to take off due to delay in land acquisition.
This case is similar to that of the development of the NH stretches. Uncertainty prevails as no timeframe can be fixed unless the land is handed over, official sources told The Hindu.
Traffic snarls and mounting accidents on these stretches have become a cause for concern for road users and law-enforcers. Cost escalation is another hurdle the authorities have to overcome.
Of the 26 bypasses, 13 are to be executed by the NH, 10 by the PWD, two by the World Bank-aided Kerala State Transport Project, and one by the Roads and Bridges Development Corporation Kerala.
Sources said instructions had been given to expedite works where land had been handed over. The work on bypasses at Kodungaloor, Kalpetta, and Pala was almost over.
The Karma bypass was to be completed by this year along with Kadathurthy while the Thiruvalla bypass was scheduled for completion by 2015 and the Thodupuzha bypass by 2016.
The work on the 5.82-km phase I of the 12.28-km Pattithanam- Mannarkkad bypass was progressing and was scheduled for completion in 2015.
Development works of the 43-km Kazhakuttam- Karode bypass of the NH 66 had suffered a setback. Land acquisition was yet to be taken on 16.5 km from Mukkola to Karode on the Tamil Nadu border.
Work on the remaining 8.35 km of the 13.14-km Kollam bypass and the remaining 1.54 km of the Alappuzha bypass that had been taken up with 50:50 contribution by the Centre and the State had also been hit.
The work for the 267.16-crore Kollam bypass and Rs.255.75-crore Alappuzha bypass had been retendered as there had not been enough participants for the bids.
Almost 80 per cent of the 28.12-km Kozhikode bypass had been completed. A 5.10-km stretch remained to be developed, for which technical sanction had been given.
Works on bypasses at Thripunithara, Thalassery-Mahe, Pappinisseri- Edacaud stretch in Kannur, Kothamangalam- Thankalam- Kozhipally, Tirur- Ponmundam, Mudal- Kanjipura, Ayorkunnam- Kutillam, Angamaly, Thamaraserry, Sulthan Bathery, Muvattupuzha, and Mannarkkad are yet to begin.
