The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will be urged to take steps to prevent national highway development from coming in the way of smooth travel to Sivagiri, a pilgrimage centre here, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said.
He was replying to a submission from V. Joy, MLA, in the Assembly on Thursday seeking government intervention to rectify the alleged neglect of Sivagari by the NHAI and ensure smooth travel of pilgrims to and from the destination.
The Chief Minister said that vehicles going from Kollam towards Sivagiri reached the Paripally-Mukkada junction and took the State Highway along Paripally-Palayamkunnu-Nadayara-Varkala road to reach Sivagiri.
As part of National Highway-66 development, the Varkala-Sivagiri road had been closed by the NHAI. This would put pilgrims going to Sivagiri to much hardship.
The NHAI had said that a proposal to build a light vehicular underpass where the Varkala-Sivagiri road touched the National Highway was under consideration, the Chief Minister said.
