ALAPPUZHA: While the controversy over the delay in opening the Vyttila flyover is yet to die down, another one is brewing in Alappuzha — over the opening of the NH 66 bypass. If the unavailability of the Chief Minister’s date prolonged the Vyttila flyover opening, the Alappuzha bypass inauguration is getting delayed because of the unavailability of the Prime Minister’s date. Public Works Minister G Sudhakaran hinted that, if the PM’s date remains unavailable, the state government will open the bypass.
“We had written to Union Minister of Surface Transport Nitin Gadkari a few days ago. Two months ago, the PMO evinced interest to attend the opening ceremony for the Alappuzha bypass. We have been awaiting a letter regarding the inauguration from the central government before the assembly election notification. If anybody is trying to delay the opening, the state government will open it,” Sudhakaran told TNIE. Meanwhile, BJP state committee member K Soman said the party has taken all steps to enable the opening of the bypass as early as possible.
“We expect the PM’s date to be available soon,” he said.Congress district president M Liju said, by delaying the bypass inauguration, the state and central governments are attempting to take credit for its construction.
“It is the achievement of former union minister KC Venugopal and the Oommen Chandy government. All steps towards the project’s execution were taken by the UPA government at the Centre and the UDF government in the state. Now, people need the bypass and it should be opened without any delay,” Liju said.
Attempts to reach NHAI officials for comment did not materialise while Union Minister V Muraleedharan’s office said they have not received any intimation from the PMO on the inauguration date.Work on the entire 6.8-km bypass has been completed, realising the five-decade-long dream of the people of Alappuzha and highway commuters. Though the project was mooted 45 years ago, and former Alappuzha MP Venugopal took steps to realise it, work began in April 2015 after the NDA government came to power at the centre with Gadkari launching the construction.
Scheduled to have been completed in September 2017, the project suffered delays on account of various reasons. The deadline was initially extended to May 2018 and then to August the same year. Work on the bypass, except the railway overbridges (RoB) at Malikamukku and Kuthirapanthi, was completed before the final deadline. The placing of RoB girders took time as the Railways found mismatches in design specification after the contracting company constructed them according to the approval received initially. So the girders were modified. Mistakes on the part of Railways’ officials caused the mismatch, said an official.
Originally estimated at Rs 156 crore, the project cost was revised to Rs 348 crore which was shared equally (50:50) by the state and central governments. The two-lane bypass links Kommady, to the north of Alappuzha town, and Kalarcode to the south and passes along the western side of the current NH 66. The road will have two major junctions, at Kommady and Kalarcode.
One of its major attractions is a 3.2-km stretch of elevated highway that passes by the Alappuzha beach, offering a clear view of the Arabian Sea. Travel through the NH flyover would be a visual treat for passengers, particularly during sunset. The beach, old sea bridge and light house can be seen from the flyover.