KOCHI: Construction of the 645km-long Kerala stretch of National Highway 66, which will hug the coastline and link the state up to Thalapady on the Karnataka border and Karode on the Tamil Nadu border, will be completed by May of 2028.
In a reply to Vadakara MP Shafi Parambil and Alappuzha MP K C Venugopal in the Lok Sabha, Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said road works will be completed by April 30, 2027, with the viaducts taking up another year.
The highway is expected to transform the state by reducing travel times between major cities, easing congestion and improving logistics, besides facilitating industrial development and strengthening the tourism sector.
Apart from the Thalapady-Chengala and Vengalam-Ramanattukara corridors, which were inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March, around 85% of works have been completed in seven key stretches. The Kappirikadavu-Thalikulam, Thalikulam-Kodungallur and Kollam Bypass-Kadambattukonam spans are nearly 95% complete, with just the Taliparamba-Muzhuppilangad (84%) and Azhiyur-Vengalam (68%) reaches lagging behind.
According to National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) engineers, the non-availability of rock aggregate and earth in the state has contributed to delays. This has forced contractors to depend on the neighbouring states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka for construction materials. However, the recent ban imposed by TN on cross-border transportation of rock aggregate has affected progress of the work.
“PWD Minister P K Basheer conducted three review meetings with NHAI officials, during which key issues such as scarcity of construction materials, shortage of labour and monsoon were raised. Works have slowed down following the onset of monsoon. Chief Minister V D Satheeesan has taken up the issue of the ban on transportation of rock aggregate from Tamil Nadu and we are hoping to resolve the matter soon,” an official with the minister’s office said.
“One of factors slowing down the works is shortage of labour. Most of the migrant workers from West Bengal, who left for state elections in March have not returned. At certain places, protests by locals demanding construction of underpasses have also impacted work,” an NHAI official said.
Inadequate drainage systems, which led to severe water seepage, are largely to blame for structural failures and collapse of retaining walls at several locations, the official said. Ineffective subsoil and geotechnical investigations, compromised earth-wall designs and lack of monitoring have also come to notice. This has resulted in punitive measures, including multi-crore financial penalties and temporary debarment, against major concessionaires.
The PWD ministry had also appointed an expert committee to study the structural issues. The panel suggested fresh geotechnical investigations, pullout tests on reinforced earth walls, reverification of ground conditions after ground improvement and stability analyses. Based on the findings of the committee, rectification measures have been taken, NHAI said.