About 77% work on the Alappuzha-Changanassery road reconstruction project has been completed.
District Collector Haritha V. Kumar, who reviewed the progress of the project on Wednesday, said that problems in acquiring land for the construction of a bridge at Muttar would be resolved soon. Ms. Kumar said that steps would be taken to hand over two cents of the land in possession of Kerala Agricultural University at Mankombu for the road project.
The Collector said that decisions regarding shifting pipelines between Kalarcode junction and Pakki bridge, demolition of the Tourism department’s building near Pallathuruthy bridge and increasing the height of Kerala State Electricity Board’s transmission tower close to Pandarakulam flyover would be taken in a time-bound manner.
The 24.14-km AC road, under the Kerala State Transport Project, is being reconstructed as a semi-elevated highway at a cost of ₹649.76 crore. The project includes the construction of five flyovers, four major bridges, 14 small bridges, three causeways, and culverts among other works.
Officials said that 92% of flyover constructions had been completed. While construction of three flyovers at Nazareth Junction, Jyothi Junction and Mankombu has almost been completed, works are progressing at Onnamkara and Pandarakulam.
Of the four major bridges – two at Kidangara and Nedumudi have been completed. The land acquisition process is on for the construction of the Muttar bridge. However, the construction of the Pallathuruthy bridge has hit a hurdle. Earlier, the Inland Waterways Authority of India stopped the bridgework citing a violation of criteria regarding its height and width. The construction firm submitted a revised plan and IWAI approved it last year. Though the firm subsequently submitted the revised estimate to the State Finance department, it has not yet given its nod.
Construction of minor bridges is 88% complete and road tarring work is 67% complete. While all 64 culverts have been finished, construction of drainages, ducts and pavements with a width of 1.5 metres on both sides of the road is progressing.
Flood prevention
The project, which is aimed at preventing flooding of the road during the monsoon season, is expected to be completed by November 2023. Once completed, the two-lane road and flyovers with footpaths will have a width between 13 and 14 meters.
The AC road work is being carried out by the Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society.
