Six lane NH-66: Construction progressing at fast pace, target to finish project in 2025

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has directed the contracting companies to speed up the construction of NH-66 which will boost the development of the state. NHAI Chairman Santosh Yadav will arrive today to check the progress of works. He will also hold meeting with the contractors and engineers of different reaches.

The target is to completed the project by November next year. The contracts were given with the condition of completion in 2025.

Out of 23 reaches from Kasaragod's Thalappadi to Thiruvananthapuram's Karode, six reaches have been completed and opened for traffic. Work is going on in the remaining seventeen reaches. NHAI's intervention came when it was realized that the construction would not be completed next year.

643.295 km of the six-lane highway is passing through Kerala. It is a 45 meter road including service road on both sides. The total expense if Rs 66,000 crore.

The completed Vyatila- Edappally stretch (16.75 km) will be connected to National Highway-66.

NH-66 is a 1611 km road starting from Panvel in Maharashtra and ending at Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu.

Finished reaches

Karode- Mukkola

Mukkola- Kovalam

Kovalam - Kakhakoottam

Thalassery- Mahe

Neeleswaram-Pallikkara Flyover

Murad Paloli Bridge (Partial Traffic)

Construction progress

(in percent)

39 %: Kazhakoottam-Kadampattukonam

32%:Kadampattukonam-Kollam Bypass

37%: Kollam Bypass-Kottamkulangara

26%: Kottamkulangara-Paravur

30%: Paravur-Thuravur South

14%:Thuravur-Aroor Elevated Highway

36%: Edappally-Kodungallur

38%: Kodungallur - Thalikulam

57%: Thalikulam-Kappirikad

64%: Kappirikad-Valancherry

58%: Valancherry-Ramanattukara

67%:Ramanattukara-Vengalam

45%: Vengalam-Azhiyoor

40%:Muzhupilangad-Thaliparambu

35%: Thaliparambu-Neeleshwaram

56%:Neeleshwaram-Chengala

67%: Chengala - Thalappadi

Largest single pier bridge

The Kasaragod flyover spanning the Thalappadi-Chengala reach is the largest single pier bridge in South India. The width of the bridge is 27 meters in 1.12 km.

Longest elevated highway

12.752 km from Aroor to Thuravoor.