THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Decks have been cleared for opening the newly constructed Chackai flyover at NH 66 bypass to traffic with street lights erected on the road finally getting power connection from the KSEB. The board has agreed to revise the power charge of Rs 1.76 crore and to quote a lower amount to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for giving power supply to electric poles, NHAI sources said. However,
the NHAI is yet to receive the revised power charge granted by the KSEB for enabling the power connection. KSEB has also conducted a site inspection on Friday as part of revising the charge. Earlier, KSEB and NHAI were at loggerheads after the board asked NHAI to pay Rs 1.76 crore for giving power connection. The state government has intervened into the matter following TNIE report on January 6.
According to a senior NHAI officer, the flyover will be opened to the traffic within 10 days as the hurdles have been cleared.
“A meeting was conducted on Friday with the KSEB and the board agreeing to quote a lesser amount viable for NHAI. But we did not know the amount. However, it will be nominal for us. So we expect the power connection process to be completed soon and the road could be opened to traffic by the end of this month. We are also planning to give power to street lights using a generator if the power connection process is not be completed in 10 days,” the officer told TNIE.
The 1.3-kilometre flyover starting from Enchakkal junction and ending at Chackai was mooted to ease the traffic at the busy Chackai junction. It connects NH 66 bypass with the city road and the road connecting airport and Shanghumugham. The flyover is constructed parallel to the approach road of Terminal -II of the airport. Though the construction of the stretch was completed in December last year, the delay was due to the standoff between KSEB and NHAI. Earlier the deadline to open the flyover was in October 2019. However, the works slowed down due to incessant rain. The 22-metre wide stretch was constructed using 400 girders.