Motorists’ woes on Aroor-Thuravoor NH 66 stretch: Kerala High Court rap prods stakeholders into action

Kerala High Court criticizes NHAI and Alappuzha district for traffic issues on NH 66, prompting increased efforts for resolution.

Faced with flak from road users and the Kerala High Court for the harrowing time pedestrians and motorists are encountering due to the ongoing construction works for the elevated highway on the 13-km Aroor-Thuravoor stretch of National Highway 66, the stakeholders concerned have got their act together and stepped up efforts to strengthen the damaged carriageway on both sides of the worksite and to divert heavy goods vehicles from the stretch, it is learnt.

Expressing shock at serpentine traffic snarls and the loss of 36 lives in road accidents ever since the work began (in 2023) on the elevated highway that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is building in the corridor, the High Court had, in an oral observation made earlier this month, rapped the Alappuzha district administration and the NHAI for blaming each other for the traffic mess on the stretch. The Collector should have invoked powers as chairperson of the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), treating it as a disaster, and taken steps to resolve the problem, the court had said and appointed an amicus curiae to assess the gravity of the situation.

In its submission before the court, the NHAI said it was facing difficulties in building the elevated highway, especially since there was no drainage, water connection or electric connection. The agency further submitted that it would be difficult to execute the works unless the District Collector intervened in his capacity as the DDMA chairperson. Based on feedback, the amicus curiae said it had been decided to ready a 3.50-metre-wide motorable road and a 1.5-metre-wide pathway on both sides for pedestrians.

Official sources said the Alappuzha district administration had sought the support of its counterparts in Ernakulam and Kollam to divert vehicles from the two districts through M.C. Road that ran largely parallel to NH 66.

Heavy goods vehicles from the Thrissur side will have to take a diversion from Angamaly or turn left from Kundannoor Junction on NH 66 bypass and ply through M.C. Road. Likewise, such vehicles that arrive at the NHAI’s toll plaza in Kumbalam will have to take a U-turn and proceed to M.C. Road after taking a diversion at Kundannoor Junction. Likewise, such vehicles from southern districts bound for Ernakulam must proceed to M.C. Road from either Chavara in Kollam or Ambalapzha in Alappuzha. The Collectors of Ernakulam and Kollam should coordinate such diversion from their districts.

The other diversion roads include the Arookutty-Thuravoor Road and Thuravoor-Ezhupunna-Kumbalangi Road. Vehicles using such diversions would have to be aware of level crossings en route, and the probability of having to wait there for a few minutes, said sources.

The contractor has so far resurfaced approximately 1,050 metres of the damaged carriageway on the eastern side and covered approximately 1,000 metres of the carriageway on the western side of the elevated NH worksites with paver blocks. Altogether, 75% of the damaged roads will be restored this week, it is learnt.