KOCHI: There is no end in sight to people’s travel woes along the Aroor-Thuravoor stretch, where the construction of the six-lane elevated highway is progressing.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has blamed the four grama panchayats on the 12.75-km-long section of “showing apathy that is affecting the work progress”.
The NHAI, in particular, is peeved at the Aroor, Ezhupunna, Kodamthuruth and Kuthiathode panchayats for not giving the nod to implement a drainage outlet plan, which the authority had developed to address waterlogging at several locations along the stretch.
It has now shot off a letter to the district collector, requesting urgent intervention to get the necessary approval on a war footing so as to facilitate the completion of the drainage work before the onset of monsoon.
“To effectively channel the collected water from the stormwater drains, the contractor has identified specific locations for drain outlet connections, ensuring proper functionality of the drainage system...
However, despite continuous follow-ups with the panchayat authorities, approval has not yet been received. Connection of the drain structure to the outfall location is urgently required to avoid water stagnation during monsoon season,” the NHAI letter to the collector reads.
“Presently there is no drain outlet for the stormwater to drain out. Hence, we are forced to construct the same on the roads owned by the panchayats. The issues, including travel woes, will intensify if the works are not completed before the onset of monsoon,” a senior NHAI official said.
At present, 65% of the elevated highway works, including setting up of over 200 out of the total 374 pillars, are over. The issue has cropped up at a time when the NHAI is racing against time to meet the deadline of January 2026.
Since the works commenced in 2023, traffic movement through the section has been badly affected due to the damaged carriageway on either sides of the site.
At least 36 lives have been lost in various mishaps during the period. Even the Kerala High Court pulled up the NHAI and the district collector for the traffic mess on the stretch several months ago. When contacted, Kodamthuruth panchayat president Jayakumar V G said most waterbodies in the panchayat have been filled up and converted for development purposes.
“Now just a narrow canal exists, which can’t hold the stormwater from the NH section. Residents are already facing waterlogging menace and have come out in protest against the NHAI plan. The NHAI can lay a long pipe and drain the stormwater to Kuthiathode kayal (river). However, the NHAI has told us they cannot lay pipelines for over 150m,” Jayakumar said.
Aroor panchayat president Rakhi Antony, too, said residents of Ward 13 have been protesting against the proposal while raising concerns that the same may inundate the area during heavy rain.
“We’ve asked the NHAI to address the people’s concern and then move ahead with their drainage plan,” she said.
The NHAI has also accused the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) of steeply hiking the estimated cost of laying drainage pipelines, and the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) of not energising new utilities that the highway authority has installed.
“Initially the KWA submitted an estimate for Rs 7 crore. It has now increased the same to Rs 20 crore,” an NHAI official said.
KWA blamed for hiking estimated cost
The NHAI has also accused the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) of steeply hiking the estimated cost of laying drainage pipelines, and the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) of not energising new utilities that the highway authority has installed.