ALAPPUZHA:The long-pending demand of the residents and users of the National Highway 66 (old NH 47) for a bypass will soon become a reality after the state and Central governments have agreed to construct the bypass with an estimated cost of ` 348.43 crore. The tender is finalised and a private company has been awarded the work of construction. The final survey by the construction company is currently in progress and will be completed in a week. The construction is expected to begin by March end.
The project will be implemented with the equal participation of the state and Central governments under the Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) method. Earlier, the Central and state governments proposed the construction of the bypass under the Build Own Transfer (BoT) method. The government didn’t favour the idea after pressure from political leaders that cost of the construction will be levied from vehicles as toll.
The 6.8 km bypass will start from Kommadi junction in the north and will end at Kalarkode junction in the south. Two line roads with a 150-metre mini road for the traffic of small vehicles will be constructed. In total, a 3.6 km-long road with 10 m width will be constructed. 14 culverts, two major junctions and four small junctions will be constructed in the bypass. An elevated 3.2 km highway by the beach and two road over bridges will also be constructed at Malikamukku and Kuthirapanthi.
G Sudhakaran MLA said that the construction of the bypass will not affect other traffic in the beach and coastal areas. Underpasses are already constructed at Aarattuvazhi-Malikamukku road, Alappuzha-Arthunkal road and Kuthirapanthi-Coastal road. All roads connecting to the beach will be connected to the service road of the bypass, the MLA said. District Collector N Padmakumar said that the construction will be completed in 30 months.
Committees will be formed at the district level and local level for implementing the project without any speedbreakers. The leaders of all labour unions will be included in the committees, the Collector said. To ensure the safety of the pedestrians, a footpath in the elevated highway is not included in the project. The construction will not in any way disrupt the normal life of local people. Details of work will be informed to the public prior to the construction, the Collector said. After the construction of the bypass, Kommadi and Kalarkode will be developed into two major junctions in the town. It was in 1979, the idea for constructing a bypass for Alappuzha bypass project was first conceived by the state government. The Revenue Dept had acquired a 45 m-wide land for the 6.8 km-long bypass in 1980.