THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The construction of the first toll plaza of the NH66 bypass from Kazhakoottam to Karode stretch has begun at Thiruvallam. The toll plaza is expected to open for toll collection by January 2021. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will also construct a temporary toll plaza at Vazhamuttom and its toll collection is expected to start by next month, NHAI sources said.
Earlier, the toll plaza was planned at Akkulam. But it was later shifted to Thiruvallam to avoid the inconvenience of commuters from the city to Kazhakoottam. However, the construction of the ongoing national highway bypass from Mukkola, near Kovalam, to Karode, near Kerala-Tamil Nadu border, is progressing at a snail’s pace. Though the NHAI has set a new deadline for completion of this first concrete highway in the state in January 2021, sources said the road cannot be commissioned in such a short time.
The NHAI had already pushed the deadline several times due to various hurdles faced in the development of the 16.3-kilometre stretch.
According to NHAI, the insufficient number of labourers due to the spike in Covid-19 cases was the prime reason for the delay. However, the NHAI officers expressed hope that they could complete the construction of the road at least during the first quarter of 2021.
“Covid-19 has hit the smooth pace of road construction. Apart from the shortage of labourers, there were also hurdles such as the shortage of red earth, some construction materials and the intermittent rain during August and September. However, NHAI has asked the contractor L and T to speed up the work so as to commission the stretch at the earliest,” a senior NHAI officer said.
At present, as many as 150 labourers are working on the site. But the minimum requirement of the number of labourers should be 300 and the work could be completed early only if they worked in day and night shifts. The NHAI said 90 percent of works have been completed. The construction of underpasses, bridges and culverts have been completed.
The local residents at Thirupuram had wanted to build an underpass and the NHAI has not decided yet whether to construct it or not. Unlike other road development works, the NHAI is developing the 16.3-kilometre stretch as a new road connecting Tamil Nadu.
The contractor, L and T Construction, is also developing the remaining part of the stretch in Tamil Nadu that extends to Kanyakumari. The road widening project was started in July 2017. In addition to various underpasses and flyovers, one major bridge has also been constructed across the Neyyar river, near Neyyattinkara.