Inauguration of the Munnar-Bodimettu stretch of the Kochi-Dhanushkodi National Highway and the new bridge at Cheruthoni across the Periyar downstream of the Idukki reservoir were postponed again.
The inauguration of the projects were postponed due to the unavailability of Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways . National Highways Authorities of India (NHAI) assistant executive engineer Rex Felix said the inauguration of the projects were scheduled for Monday.
Officials earlier had announced that Mr. Gadkari and Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways V.K. Singh will be visiting Munnar on November 6 for the inauguration of the two major projects in Idukki. This is the third time the road and bridge inaugurations were postponed, says officials.
They said that the official inauguration of the road and bridge will be held only after the Assembly Elections in the northern States. “The Central Ministers are now busy with election-related programmes,” added the source.
Meanwhile, the first toll booth on the Kochi-Dhanushkodi National Highway, which will also be the first in the district, will be opened soon at Devikulam. “The toll booth will start functioning before the official inauguration of the road. The tender process for selecting the agency for toll collection has already been completed. As per the decision of the NHAI, toll booths will be set up every 65 km of the highway,” said Mr Felix.
