KOZHIKODE: On February 15, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan officially opened the 34-km Kodenchery-Kakkadampoyil road in Kozhikode district — the first phase of the much-anticipated Hill Highway project.
However, much to the shock of the local residents, a 7.217-km stretch (Anakkulampara-Akampuzha-Thazhekakkadampoyil) that was originally included in the hill highway plan was “missing” in the completed work. And, while the CM announced the completion of the 34-km highway, Thiruvambady MLA Linto Joseph said only a 27-km stretch had been finished, triggering confusion and widespread discontent.
Saithalavi, a human rights activist from Kozhikode, accused the officials of altering the project alignment against the 2018 Detailed Project Report and government order. He had also filed a petition with the vigilance department in this regard.
The complaint alleged that the original alignment of the Kodenchery-Kakkadampoyil road was arbitrarily modified by officials and contractors, despite land owners surrendering their land free of cost based on the original 34.35-km plan.
It also alleged financial mismanagement claiming that despite the exclusion of the 7.217-km stretch, the total project cost increased from the estimated Rs 144 crore (2018) to Rs 198.35 crore in 2024. The contract for the road was initially awarded to ULCCS with a 10% increase over the original estimate. Instead of reducing the cost for the excluded stretch, the contractor allegedly raised the project estimate multiple times, the complaint said.
An amount of Rs 26.5 crore was separately sanctioned for the 7.217-km segment under another project, an action deemed inappropriate at the official level, the complaint alleged. It also cited Section 3 of 13(1) (d)2 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, arguing that the officials involved abused their positions for personal or external gains, leading to financial loss and erosion of public trust.
7-km stretch didn’t meet gradient requirements for hill highway: MLA
The complaint demanded that responsible officials and contractors face legal consequences and that the financial losses incurred be recovered.
The vigilance on Monday held the first hearing based on the petition filed by Saithalavi.
Meanwhile, MLA Linto Joseph defended the project’s modifications, explaining that the 7-km stretch was a village road that did not meet the gradient requirements for a hill highway. He stated that incorporating the stretch would have required six hairpin bends, which was technically unfeasible under state highway regulations. Linto also clarified that the project’s revised cost increased due to GST adjustments, land acquisition, and utility shifting. Eight families had to be rehabilitated, further contributing to cost escalations, he said.
The MLA said the work on the 7-km stretch has been instead sanctioned under a separate village road project with an allocation of Rs 26 crore.
He asserted that the allegations are baseless, and the vigilance verification provides an opportunity to clarify the facts.
The first reach of the hill highway features modern amenities, including a 12-metre-wide carriageway, underground cables and pipes, solar lighting and traffic signal systems, bus stops, guard rails, and concrete pavements. Two bridges at Koombara and Veettippara are also part of the road that connects Kodenchery, Thiruvambady and Koodaranji panchayats. It also has links to the upcoming Anakkampoyil-Kalladi-Meppadi tunnel road.
The next phase of the hill highway will extend from Kakkadampoyil to Nilambur.