KOCHI: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on Friday informed the Kerala High Court that there were lapses on the part of the company involved in constructing the elevated National Highway-66 portion that collapsed at Kooriyad in Malappuram district.
The NHAI said that the Central government had formed an expert committee comprising technical experts to conduct a preliminary inquiry. Based on the report, the Central government blacklisted the construction company.
The prefatory report suggested that the collapse was caused by water seeping through the soil beneath the road. It was also stated that structural changes might be required for the Kooriyad stretch of the road.
Following this, Justice Devan Ramachandran directed the NHAI to submit an interim report by Thursday, detailing the reasons for the collapse. The directive was given while considering petitions regarding the pathetic condition of roads in the state, including Kochi.
The court observed that the public had placed high hopes on the national highway development. Despite enduring travel hardships, people waited patiently. Now, everyone is in deep concern, the court observed.
The NHAI informed that all efforts are being made to resolve the issue under the leadership of senior officials. The NHAI added that the investigation regarding the collapse of the NH stretch is progressing, and some more time is needed to study the detailed cause of the road collapse. It was after this that the court asked NHAI to submit the interim report.