The ground is set for the four-laning of the congested 6.5-km Pravachambalam-Vazhimukku corridor, the Reach II of the 29.2-km Karamana-Kaliyikkavila stretch of the NH 66 being developed by PWD (NH) wing.
The administrative sanction by the government for the Rs.200-crore four-laning works has been given on the basis of the report of Additional Chief Secretary, Public Works, Subrata Biswas to Minister for Public Works G. Sudhakaran.
The four-laning works in Reach II had failed to take off as funds were not allocated by the previous UDF government though the development of the corridor had been included among the 10 mega projects to be taken up under the District Flagship Infrastructure Project (DFIP) during this fiscal.
Mr. Sudhakaran said the revised administrative sanction had been given as the Finance Minister had announced in the budget to make available Rs. 200 crore for the works from the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Board Fund (KIIFB).
Although the nod was given and alignment of the proposed four-laned corridor is ready, the land acquisition had not been completed. Of the Rs. 300 crore allocated for land acquisition for Reach II, only Rs. 50 crore had been given as compensation to those who had parted with their land.
A top official of the PWD (NH) wing said the proposal mooted for a bypass and underpass at Balaramapuram to reduce the displacement of shops and business establishments had been dropped following opposition by traders.
The four-laned stretch will be 30.2-m wide with a 3.5-m median to accommodate the Mass Rapid Transport System up to Neyyattinkara. It will have a 2.6-metre footpath as in Reach I.
The PWD was also under pressure for the delay in taking up the work in Reach II even after six months of commissioning the 5.5-km Reach I from Karamana to Pravachambalam.
Road users were put to difficulty as the advantages of widening the Reach I had not reached them owing to traffic snarls that extended up to hours in the Vazhimukku-Pravachambalam corridor, especially at Balaramapuram Junction.
The nod from the government comes in the wake of the stir announced by the Karamana-Kaliyikkivila National Highway Development Action Council seeking expediting of the works.
S.K. Jayakumar, general secretary of the council, said the government should appoint a Special Officer to coordinate the works of various departments and for timely completion of four-laning works up to the Tamil Nadu border.
Mr. Jayakumar said the council was of the view that an underpass was needed on the Kattakada-Vizhinjam stretch for the smooth movement of vehicles through Balaramapuram junction.
The council has also urged the government to take steps to fix the boundary stones on the stretch from Vazhimukku to Kaliyikkavila.
