PWD wants NHAI’s assurance on funds to build twin flyovers

Minister blames previous UDF government for laying stone without funds

The Public Works Department (PWD) will build flyovers at Vyttila and Kundannoor junctions on Edappally-Aroor NH Bypass if the Finance Department and higher-ups in the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) concur with the PWD’s proposal, Minister for Public Works G. Sudhakaran has said.

“I have asked Additional Chief Secretary Subrata Biswas to take up the matter afresh with the NHAI Chairman or the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways,” he told The Hindu . Referring to the letter that the NHAI sent to the PWD in November citing its disinterest in constructing the flyovers, Mr. Sudhakaran said the letter was sent by an officer in rank of General Manager in the agency. “Higher-ups in the NHAI must take a call on the issue since the agency owns the NH bypass,” he said. While stating that the government wanted to decongest the two bottlenecked NH junctions, he said the PWD was not in a position to take up the construction unless there was an assurance on the availability of funds.

It was noteworthy that the NHAI had issued a no-objection certificate early this year to the PWD, following which all paper works, except technical sanction, were readied.

The then Chief Minister, Oommen Chandy, laid the foundation stone for the flyovers in February.

UDF blamed

The Minister attributed the State PWD (NH wing’s) delay in taking up the construction to the previous UDF government’s act of laying the foundation stone without earmarking funds in the 2015-16 budget.

“The projects did not get the Cabinet nod and technical sanction since the Finance Department had reservations about spending State funds for structures on a NHAI road corridor,” he said.

He added that an NHAI representative, who participated in a meeting convened to discuss the situation, was optimistic that the agency would take up the construction of the flyovers.

“The only concern is that the toll being collected on the bypass will be increased if the NHAI builds the flyovers. The PWD does not have funds totalling over Rs.200 crore to build the flyovers,” he said.