Kerala's six-lane highway: PWD Minister says construction to be over by 2025
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THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: PWD Minister P A Mohammed Riyas has said that the construction of the six-lane National Highway from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram is moving on track and will be completed by 2025.
On Wednesday, the minister was inaugurating the 37.9-km road from Nedumangad Pazhakutti to Ponmudi hill station at Tholikode in Thiruvananthapuram and said, "Along with the development of national highways, the dream projects of Kerala, the Coastal Highway and the Hill Highway will be completed on time".
He said the state-of-the-art road to major hill station in the state, Ponmudi, would provide a new boost to the tourism industry. "Some of the unhealthy tendencies that are destroying our roads along with the weather are from some contractors and employees. Contractors and employees should ensure that the entire amount allocated for road development is utilised effectively," Riyas said. He added that incentives would be given to contractors who complete construction on time and efficiently. "The government is considering rewarding well-performing officials," Riyas said.
The minister said strict action would be taken against negligent contractors and employees. The Nedumangad-Ponmudi road is being constructed under the Rebuild Kerala Initiative package introduced by the state government to repair roads damaged by heavy rains and floods in the state in 2018.
The cost of constructing the road passing through Nedumangad, Aruvikkara and Vamanapuram assembly constituencies is estimated at 167.69 crore. 21.03 km of roads including State Highways 2 and 45 will be tarred with a width of 10 to 12 m and 15.6 km with a width of 5.5 m, the New Indian Express reported.
The renovation will be carried out without land acquisition, under the aegis of Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) and Kerala State Transport Project (KSTP) under PWD. Reconstruction of 17 culverts, widening of 10 culverts and construction of five new culverts will also be a part of this.
Additionally, there will be protective walls, bridge upgrades, drains on both sides of the road to the forest boundary, and Irish drains in the forest to prevent landslides at high altitudes. The renovation of the road started earlier in 2002, but the contract period expired in 2017.
The programme was attended by the Food and Civil Supplies Minister G R Anil, MP Adoor Prakash, MLA G Stephen, MLA D K Murali, and various other people's representatives.