KOCHI: After nearly two decades of frustrating delays, the long-stalled second phase of the Seaport-Airport Road is finally set to make progress. The HMT land in Kalamassery that was at the centre of a dispute will be handed over to the project implementation agency — Roads and Bridges Development Corporation of Kerala (RBDCK) — on Tuesday, paving the way for the resumption of work on the vital infrastructure link.
“The two main hurdles for the second phase implementation were the pending land acquisition with regard to NAD and HMT land. Of these, we’ve already acquired the 2.4967-hectare NAD land after the state allotted Rs 32.26 crore a couple of months back. Now, we’ve been informed that the HMT land, totalling 1.6352 hectares, will be handed over to us on October 21,” a senior RBDCK official told TNIE.
The Seaport-Airport Road project, a 25.7-km road from Irumpanam to Nedumbassery, is expected to provide easier access to the airport and is being implemented in two phases. The RBDCK completed the first phase – an 11.3-km stretch from Irumpanam to Kalamassery – back in 2003. The second phase includes three sections — HMT Road-NAD Junction to Mahilalayam Junction, Mahilalayam Junction to Chowara, and Chowara to Airport Road.
The HMT land is needed specifically for the 2-km long HMT to NAD (Naval Armament Depot) stretch, which is the first section of the second phase. The state government had sanctioned funds to be deposited for the acquisition of this land in line with an interim order from the Supreme Court. The proposed road in the HMT section will be 600 metres long and 45 metres wide.
“An amount of H37.91 crore needed to be deposited in a nationalised bank. The state recently allocated H19.39 crore for the purpose, as a sum of H18.75 crore was already there in the tahsildar’s account. With the HMT handing over its land, the main hurdles for the implementation of the project have been resolved. We aim to begin work within four weeks,” the official said.
He pointed out that the state government had earlier granted administrative sanction to allot H17.31 crore to facilitate the work in the HMT-NAD section.
“We’ve submitted a revised estimate of H22.4 crore and it is expected to be approved in a week or two. The work will start on receiving the nod for the revised estimate,” he said.
New underpass mooted at Toshiba Junction
The authorities are now considering an underpass at Toshiba Junction, which was not part of the original project report.
“It was suggested to build either a flyover or an underpass there. The latter is more feasible. We conducted a site inspection the other day, which revealed five to six underground pipelines, including the Kochi-Coimbatore-Karur pipeline, CIAL Aviation fuel pipeline, and FACT Naphtha pipeline. A report has been filed with the state government in that regard and a decision is awaited,” the RBDCK official said.
Work on NAD-Mahilalayam section to begin in December
Meanwhile, construction is planned to begin on the 6.5-km NAD-Mahilalayam stretch by December.
“We’ve cleared the documentation related to 244 out of 529 possessions in this section and aim to complete the land acquisition process and tender the work in December. KIIFB has already allotted H569.34 crore for the purpose,” the official said.
While the work in the Mahilalayam-Turuth section has already been completed, the implementing agency is yet to receive government nod for land acquisition proceedings in the final 4.15-km stretch, from Chowara to airport.
The Seaport-Airport Road passes through the western side of the proposed Kochi bypass (Angamaly-Kundannoor) project being implemented by the National Highways Authority of India.
