Thiruvananthapuram: A high-level inquiry has been launched into the collapse of a portion of the under-construction flyover on NH 66 at Mylakkadu near Kottiyam in Kerala’s Kollam district, days after an expert panel’s warning about critically weak soil along the stretch was allegedly overlooked.
The four-member committee, appointed by the NHAI after a similar incident at Kooriyad in Malappuram, had flagged serious construction lapses and extremely low Standard Penetration Test values, as low as 0 or 1 in some locations, and cautioned that the protection wall could cave in unless the ground was strengthened.
The panel had recommended measures such as soil improvement and structural reinforcement along the Kollam Bypass–Kadambattukonam reach, but the failure to implement these directions is now being viewed as a key factor behind the latest collapse. On the evening of December 5, the sidewall of the flyover gave way, tearing up the adjoining service road, creating large craters and trapping several vehicles, though no casualties were reported, prompting closure of the affected stretch and major traffic disruption along the busy NH 66 corridor.
As part of the probe, a team of NHAI technical experts from Delhi is scheduled to inspect the site on Sunday, followed by a visit by NHAI Chairman Santosh Yadav on Monday to review the damage and restoration efforts. Officials said temporary restoration of traffic along the damaged service road is expected by Monday, subject to safety clearances from engineers and local authorities.
Punitive action has already been initiated against the agencies involved in the project, with contractor Shivalaya Construction Ltd and consultancy firms Feedback Infra and Sathra Services barred from participating in NHAI tenders for one month. The incident has intensified scrutiny of highway construction standards in Kerala and renewed calls for stricter oversight of projects on vulnerable soil stretches along NH 66.
(Inputs from IANS)