KOCHI: Ending confusion, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has finally decided to construct the landing of the state’s longest elevated highway at the end of the Kumbalam bridge, on the Alappuzha side, which will facilitate motorists' travel seamlessly, avoiding the busy Aroor Junction.
However, there will be just three exit ramps, leading to the service roads below, on the entire 12.75-km-long six-lane stretch. The same will come up at Aroor, near ‘Our Lady of Mercy Hospital’ at Chandiroor and Kuthiyathodu.
Earlier, there were suggestions to set up the elevated highway at Aroor Junction or a little ahead near the office of a media house. “The landing will be constructed before the Aroor Junction signal, at the end of the Aroor-Kumbalam bridge. The service roads there will have a width of 5.5 m to 7 m to facilitate two-way traffic below,” said a senior NHAI official.
The motorists, though, need to pay a separate toll, in addition to the fees being levied at Kumbalam toll plaza, for travel through the elevated highway, which is 24 m wide. “The toll plaza will come up near Moham Hospital, Eramalloor,” the official added.
Meanwhile, the construction works, which began in April 2023, are progressing at a fast pace. “Nearly 23 per cent of the construction activities have been completed and we are on course to meet the deadline of January 2026,” he pointed out.
The construction of nearly 120 out of the total 374 pillars have been completed and the installation of pier cap beams is progressing.
‘Make service roads near schools walkable’
Meanwhile, Aroor panchayat president Rakhi Antony has complained to the district collector about the shabby condition of service roads that makes it difficult for students to walk to the schools.
“The slush during construction is being dumped on the service roads. This has affected students of seven out of 10 schools in the panchayat as they can’t even walk to school. They should remove the slush near schools,” Rakhi said.