
KOCHI: While the much-touted Angamaly-Maradu bypass project of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is caught in alignment fixation hurdles, another key project being implemented by the Roads and Bridges Development Corporation of Kerala (RBDCK) to pass around the busy Angamaly town is set to take off. Once realised, motorists along the Thrissur-Edappally section of NH 544 can skip the Angamaly junction, where a serpentine queue of vehicles is a common sight.
The nearly four-km four-lane bypass will start from the Karayamparambu signal junction and connect to the Angamaly railway station junction. It will run parallel to the railway line along the western side, while the proposed alignment of the 44.7-km greenfield highway project of the NHAI passes through the eastern side of Angamaly town.
“The land acquisition process for the `275-crore project, funded by the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) has entered the last stage, and the final notification will be issued soon. The required land can be acquired when we receive the fund from KIIFB,” said a senior RBDCK official.
While the foundation stone was laid in January 2021, the project was delayed due to land acquisition hurdles. “All hurdles have been cleared and we will start acquiring the plots upon receipt of the fund,” the official pointed out.
The Angamaly town is struggling to handle the huge volume of vehicles passing through the NH and the MC Road. It is the only key junction along NH 544 that doesn’t have a flyover.
“Heavy traffic blocks have become a regular affair, especially in the Karayamparambu bridge-TELK section. A lot of travellers, especially those travelling to Kochi airport, are being affected. Since there is no alternative route to divert the traffic, bypass projects are crucial.
With regard to the Angamaly bypass project, all activities relating to land acquisition such as the survey of plots, boundary marking, and fixing of compensation amount are completed. We have urged authorities to release the fund to start attaching land and complete the project on a war footing,” said Angamaly municipal chairman Mathew Thomas.
With regard to the Angamaly-Maradu Kochi bypass, the boundary stone-laying activity commenced from the Angamaly side in November 2024 but is progressing slowly. “We are receiving a lot of grievances regarding alignment and compensation.
We are striving our best to complete the land acquisition in a year. The Centre assured us that the funds for providing compensation will be allotted without any delay once the 3(D) notification (completion of land acquisition process) is issued,” a senior NHAI official said.
The `6,000-crore project will connect Karayamparambu near Angamaly to Kundannoor, decongesting the existing NH 544 and NH 66 sections from Angamaly to Aroor. Long-distance vehicles could bypass Kochi city and busy junctions like Aluva, Kalamassery and Edappally.
Kundannoor Jn devpt to kick-start soon
Meanwhile, the RBDCK is also set to kick-start the J10.53 crore project to develop the Kundannoor Junction along the NH-66 bypass. The junction has turned into a bottleneck despite the coming up of a flyover there. “The main issue is the narrow service road and openings, though there is adequate space beneath the flyover. A total of 16.24 acres, mainly private land from the four corners of the junction, will be acquired. Two buildings (towards the Maradu side) will also be demolished. The 11(1) notification for land acquisition process will be issued soon,” the official added.