THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The much-awaited Mukkola-Karode highway stretch, which is part of the Kazhakootam to Kerala-Tamil Nadu border NH-66 bypass, is likely to be commissioned in December. The work at three places -- Thengavila, Thirupuram, and Vlathankara, which are around 500m apart, remains to be completed.
According to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the issue of red soil shortage for filling the stretch at these locations has been handled and the 16.3-km stretch can be opened to the public by the end of this year. The NHAI has also asked the district administration to resume culvert rectification work at Punnakulam, which had come to a halt.
“We had started the work long back but it was hampered due to rain. We resumed it last Wednesday but the work was halted again when a group of people came to the spot asking the contractor to stop it. We have approached the district administration and hope to resume work as soon as possible. However, all other hurdles are over and if all things go well, the stretch can be commissioned in December itself, “ said P Pradeep, NHAI project director. PWD minister P A Mohamed Riyas visited the spot 10 days ago and instructed the NHAI to complete the work at the earliest. Earlier, there was a delay in getting ‘borrow area’ approval from the Mining and Geology department to fill sand. There was also a shortage of red soil to fill the stretch. However, these issues have been resolved.
Earlier, NHAI sources said the Kovalam-Karode stretch will be open for traffic, even though the work on the Tamil Nadu side of the border will not be completed by then. From Karode, vehicles can be diverted through service roads to enter Chenkavila at Poovar-Kaliyikkavila road to reach Tamil Nadu. The 16.3-km road is being built as part of the second phase development of NH-66.
The deadline for completion of the concrete road was May 31 last year. But it was changed several times due to the pandemic and the unavailability of red earth. Once the highway is opened, commuters from north Kerala can save time while going to Tamil Nadu via Kanyakumari without entering Thiruvananthapuram city.
Meanwhile, the commissioning of the 2.72km elevated highway at Kazhakootam will be held on November 1, as assured by the PWD minister. An NHAI official said the work on the approach road to the flyover at Kazhakoottam is in progress.