The Hindu : First phase of NH Bypass on Nov. 15

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Oct 26, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala-Thiruvananthapuram

First phase of NH Bypass on Nov. 15

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM Oct. 25. The date of commissioning of the 22-km first phase of the 43.62 km-long stretch of the NH-47 Bypass from Kazhakkuttom to Kovalam has been postponed to November 15 due to the delay in completing the approach roads to the Chacka road overbridge.

The filling of the approach road on the Chacka side has already been completed. The filling of sand on the approach road on the Kazhakuttom side is the main work to be completed.

The work on the road overbridge, built across the Thiruvananthapuram-Kollam railway line jointly by the Railways and the PWD (NH), is over and only the painting work remains.

According to a PWD (NH) official, the work on the approach road was nearing completion and the Chacka bridge would be thrown open for traffic by November 15. The authorities are apprehensive whether the deadline fixed would be affected by the North-East monsoon, which had already become active in the State.

``We lost 10 days of work last month due to the unseasonal rain that lashed the city and the hartal following a political murder in Chacka,'' the official said. The delay in shifting the electric posts in Chacka junction also delayed the surfacing of the road.

The work on raising the level of the Chacka bypass junction by one metre to ensure the smooth flow of traffic along the bypass and from Pettah side is almost over. The roundabout in the junction has been designed by the National Transportation Planning & Research Centre (Natpac).

A 3.8 metre-wide single lane road from Chacka to the road overbride on the western side is also awaiting Government nod. The road has been proposed to solve the problems faced by the locals staying on the side of the approach road to the road overbridge. The PWD(NH) authorities have a proposal to the Government that toll be collected from the vehicles that use the bypass.

On the increasing number of accidents on the bypass stretch due to the absence of streetlights, the official said it was up to the local bodies to address the problem. The PWD (NH) would, however, take steps to install more reflectors on the stretch.

Meanwhile, the work on the 3.3-km Kovalam-Mukkola stretch of the second phase of the bypass would commence once the Revenue Department hands over the land to the PWD (NH) authorities.

The PWD (NH) had handed over Rs. 7 crores for land acquisition to the revenue authorities in 2001, the official said. "We have been informed that the land will be handed over to us this month itself. If that is done, the work will commence in the stretch immediately,'' he added.

The PWD (NH) authorities have also proposed to the Government that notification may issued for acquiring land for the 5.4 km stretch from Mukkkola to Kanjiramkulam.

The 13-km-long Kanjiramkulam-Inchivila stretch comprises the last phase of the bypass.

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