The Kerala government informed Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari about the urgent need to reconstruct the collapsed section of NH 66 at Kooriyad. Riyas, accompanied by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and other senior officials, met with Gadkari in Delhi on Wednesday against the backdrop of complaints regarding cracks and fissures in various sections of NH 66, as well as the consequences of the collapse at Kooriyad.
Vijayan and Gadkari had previously convened in December of last year to assess the ongoing road and highway projects in Kerala. During a press conference at Kerala House, Riyas stated, “The Union minister has assured the Chief Minister that measures will be implemented to resolve all current construction-related issues in the NH 66 project and to avert any further incidents.
A 45-meter-wide six-lane NH 66 from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram is a dream for every Malayali. We are aware of how the project was once suspended and how it is now being realized… the Union minister has informed us that the project is expected to be completed by December this year. This will serve as a New Year gift to the people of the state.” The PWD minister announced that a 360-meter-long viaduct will be constructed at the location where a section of the elevated under-construction highway collapsed onto the service roads at Kooriyad on May 20, resulting in injuries to several motorists. “Those accountable for the collapse within the NHAI have been suspended.
The contracting firm has been prohibited from participating in future tender processes. The state has notified the Union ministry regarding the cracks and fissures in other sections of NH 66. The NHAI is supervising every aspect of the highway, from alignment to construction,” the minister remarked. He further mentioned that the notification for the outer ring road project in Thiruvananthapuram is anticipated by July of this year.
Riyas emphasized that the high land acquisition costs in Kerala, compared to other states in India, continue to pose a significant challenge for major infrastructure projects. “To illustrate, land acquisition costs in Kerala are considerably higher than in other regions, which complicates the execution of such projects.”
