The Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways, Shri Pon. Radhakrishnan informed the Rajya Sabha today that on the proactive initiative of his Ministry, the Chief Minister of Kerala has agreed to requisite minimum 45m ROW essential for safety of traffic for upgradation of National Highways to four-lane in Kerala. However, to monitor and resolve the land acquisition issue, Government of Kerala has decided to constitute a committee headed by Chief Secretary, Kerala.
The upgradation by widening to four lanes of NH 47 under NHDP Phase II and widening to four lanes of NH 17 under NHDP Phase III including construction of NH bypasses in Kerala was entrusted to NHAI nearing a decade ago. So far, four-laning of 74 Km length from Thrissur to Edappally/Aroor has been completed and put into operation. However, only two projects namely four laning from Tamil Nadu Border at Walayar to Vaddakkancherry in a length of 58Km and Six laning from Vaddakkancherry to Thrissur in a length of 30Km of NH 47 are in progress. Remaining seven NHDP projects in a length of 641Km on NH 17 four projects from Karnataka Border to Edappally in a length of 421Km) and NH-47 three projects from Cherthalai to TamilNadu border in a length of 220Km) were dropped due to extremely slow pace of land acquisition and public resistance to requisite minimum 45m ROW essential for safety of traffic.
Moreover, the tender for award of work of Alappuzha and Kollam bypasses have been received and are under evaluation.