The construction of the overpass across National Highway 66 at Vengeri Junction has come to a halt after the presence of a major water pipeline close to where the excavation is being carried out was found. The 1.5-metre-wide pipeline belongs to the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) drinking water project carrying water from Peruvannamuzhi reservoir to Kozhikode city.
Work on the overpass that connects Thadambattuthazahm with the Balusseri road has progressed halfway. Recently, traffic on this route was diverted to facilitate the completion of the work. However, the breakage of a pipeline during excavation on Sunday and the subsequent caving in of land close to the overpass, blocking traffic on the NH for hours, have caused much confusion.
The JICA pipeline was found following the caving in of land. The authorities have realised that going ahead with the construction as planned could damage the pipeline. It may also lead to flooding at Thadambattuthazham and Vengeri.
A group of experts led by Regional Officer of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) B.L. Meena and resident engineer P.N. Sasikumar visited the spot on Monday. The pipeline was laid 15 years ago within the area intended for road development. It would not have created an issue if the plan for the NH development was different. The highway is now 18 metres lower than the road that existed here and an overpass is being constructed across it to connect the perpendicular road. If the road had gone over a flyover, the situation could have been different. Now, to relocate the pipeline up to Thondayad would cost the Kerala Water Authority around ₹100 crore and would delay the road work by at least six months. The NH authorities are reviewing the possibilities of preserving the pipeline by making slight changes to the road plan.
