The state and central governments signed an agreement clearing all obstacles for the national highway development. The agreement was inked on Thursday after a meeting between Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday.
The 526 km long road of NH 66 (earlier NH 17) from Thalappadi in Kasaragod to Kazhakkoottam in Thiruvananthapuram will be developed into a six lane highway at 13 places. The road will be widened 45 metres in these areas.
The Centre gave consent letter to the project on Tuesday itself. The agreement was signed on Thursday after completing the procedures. State PWD Principal Secretary Kamala Vardhana Rao and Union Joint Secretary Amit Ghosh signed the agreement. NH Authority General Manager Alok Dipankar also was present.
Earlier, Kerala had informed their willingness to take up 25 percent of the expense of land acquisition. But the Ministry of Highways did not take further action. During the meeting with chief minister, Nitin Gadkari admonished the officials for their lapses and warned them that action would be taken if Kerala’s contract is finalised soon.
Gadkari added that he is aware of the presence of people with vested interests in the ministry. He warned the officials that he started his political career as a Naxalite and asked them not to compel him to go back to the same stand again. Following this, the consent letter of the Centre was handed over to Kerala on the same night.
NH to be developed in 13 stages
- Thalappadi-Chenkala : 13 km
- Chenkala-Neeleshawaram : 37 km
- Perol-Taliparamba : 40 km
- Taliparamba-Muzhappilangadu : 36 km
- Azhiyoor-Vengalam : 39 km
- Ramanattukara-Kuttippuram : 53 km
- Kuttippuram-Kappirikkadu : 24 km
- Kappirikkadu-Edappally : 89 km
- Thuravoor-Paravoor : 38 km
- Paravoor-Kottamkulangara : 38 km
- Kottamkulangara-Kollam bypass beginning : 08 km
- Kollam bypass-Kadambattukonam : 32 km
- Kadambattukonam-Kazhakkoottam : 29 km