THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:The initial proceeding of the much-awaited flyover project at Kazhakoottam which will decongest the traffic at the IT corridor is moving at a slow pace. Though the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) selected a contractor for the construction of the flyover, there has been no concrete follow up on the project.
The 2.7 km four-lane flyover project was awarded to Kochi- based Cherian Varkey Construction company last month after the firm quoted the lowest amount of Rs 195 crore. However, the company is yet to receive the Letter of Acceptance (LOA) from the NHAI.When Express contacted the contractor, they said that they could not begin any work unless they received the LOA. “Till Tuesday, we have not received the letter. We only know that we have been selected for the work”, said Cherian Varkey, managing director, Cherian Varkey Constructions.
However, NHAI officials say that the LOA will only be handed over to the construction company once 80 per cent of the land acquisition process is completed. The land is being acquired under 3 (D) of the NH act 1956. “ The acquisition of a 1.3 km stretch is nearing completion. The LOA will be submitted to the contractor at the earliest,” a top NHAI officer said.
The longest flyover in the district will be developed as a standalone project under the Engineering Procurement, Construction(EPC). In October last year, NHAI headquarters had approved the flyover design. The initial proposal was to have a 1.4 km flyover. However, the design had to be altered owing to the heavy traffic at the busy junction. The flyover will have 75 piers, each 30 meters apart. The main carriageway will be 21 metres.
Unlike the earlier proposal, the flyover will end near Technopark Phase-III and will start near Kazhakoottam police station. As per plan, the vehicles arriving from Kollam towards Kovalam or the airport will benefit mostly from the flyover, while local traffic will be directed underneath the flyover. The project, which was proposed by the previous government, was set in motion after the Union Minister of Road, Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari instructed NHAI to build a flyover and underpass at Kazhakootam. However, the underpass project was later dropped due to practical difficulties.
The National Transportation Planning and Research Centre (NATPAC), which conducted a study on de-congesting the area three years ago, had suggested an elevated road from Kazhakoottam to Technopark. According to the study, all the road sections around Technopark have been catering to traffic nearly three times more than its capacity. As per the report, about 30 per cent of those who arrive at the Technopark Campus uses two-wheelers while 26 per cent each use cars and buses.
What the NHAI says
The LOA will only be handed over to the construction company once 80 per cent of the land acquisition process is completed