The Central government has sanctioned the six-laning of the arterial NH-66 stretch linking Kodungallur in Thrissur to Edapally in Kochi.
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The project outlay is estimated at ₹3,465 crore. It would decongest the NH-66, trigger development and bring Kerala a step closer to the ambition of six-laning the 600 km NH-66 from Thalapady in Kasaragod to Karode in Thiruvananthapuram.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan tweeted “thank you, @nitin_gadkari Ji, Hon'ble Minister of Road Transport & Highways, Govt of India for sanctioning the 6-Laning work from Kodungallur to Edapally section of NH-66 (Old 17) with a budget of ₹3465.82 cr. on HAM under Bharatmala Pariyojana".
The sixth laning is the Centre's Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM), part of the Union Government’s ambitious Bharathmala Pariyojana initiative.
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Earlier, the National Highways Authority of India had signed an agreement with the State government to six-lane 16 out of the 20 critical segments on the NH-66. It has also undertaken to expedite the six laning of the Panavel-Kanyakumari stretch of the NH-66.
The State government would underwrite 25 per cent of the land acquisition cost. Mr. Vijayan had assured landowners that they would get the best market price for their plots.
He had appointed special Tahlsidars to expedite land acquisition and disbursal of compensation as per the provisions of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013. Mr. Vijayan had ordered that the government compensate people who gave up their land for six laning within six months.