The widening of the National Highway from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram will be completed in 2025, Public Works Minister P.A. Mohamed Riyas has said.
He was launching the construction work of the Kottaravalavu-Karumadi bypass road in a function held at Karumadi on Saturday.
Mr. Riyas said the government was going ahead with the proposal to construct Hill Highway and Coastal Highway in the State. The Minister praised former Public Works Minister G. Sudhakaran, Ambalappuzha MLA H. Salam, people’s representatives and political party leaders who worked to materialise the bypass road project.
The bypass project was mooted by then Public Works Minister and Ambalappuzha MLA G. Sudhakaran during the tenure of the first Pinarayi Vijayan government. The government initially set aside ₹70 crore for the project in the 2018-19 Budget, but the work could not be started as the bidding process had to be cancelled several times after bidders quoted prices that were exceptionally higher than the government’s estimate. Later, the government increased the project cost to over ₹90 crore, and the work was awarded to Uranlungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society.
The 7.81-km road, beginning from Karumadi Kuttan Smrithi Mandapam on the Amabalappuzha-Thiruvalla State highway, would pass through Ambalappuzha South and Purakkad panchayats before reaching Thottappally Kottaravalavu junction on National Highway (NH) 66. The road parallel to NH 66 will make travel hassle-free between Haripad, Thrikkunnapuzha, Cheruthana, Purakkad, and places in Kuttanad, Changanassery, Kottayam, and so on. It is expected to be completed in 18 months.
