Road construction moving at slow pace

The inconvenience faced by the people due to the ongoing national highway construction in the state cannot be avoided. At the same time, the slow pace of construction, which is getting prolonged day by day, cannot be justified. Construction of national highways is moving at a snail's pace in many areas due to the unavailability of required rock and soil. Although the Supreme Court has exempted soil excavation for national highway construction from environmental clearance, local resistance is hindering the process in many areas. Companies claim that stay orders in such cases are obstructing the construction work. Companies have taken up the construction responsibility of various stretches with a contract clause that they will complete the work within 910 days.

Two essential components required for national highway construction are rock and soil. Initially, delays in obtaining quarry materials in several locations caused a slowdown in construction. There was also opposition to operating crushers in some areas. While rock and soil are readily available in certain reaches, delays in obtaining them in other areas are creating problems. The contract companies are also citing the interventions of the state's Mining and Geology Department as a reason for the delay in construction. The other day, a meeting was held under the chief minister's chairmanship to hear the companies' grievances and formulate measures to address the issues. Company representatives stated that only the chief minister's strong intervention can resolve the issue. The Chief Minister has assured that the government will intervene promptly to address the shortage of construction materials.

Earlier, when there was a shortage of rocks for the construction of the Vizhinjam Port, a meeting chaired by the Chief Minister had resolved the issue by permitting the delivery of rocks from Tamil Nadu. The national highway construction, which had slowed down with the onset of the monsoon season, regained momentum last month. However, if the government fails to intervene and make soil available, the subsequent works will continue to drag on. The six-laning of National Highway 66 is likely to miss its June 2025 deadline due to the current slow pace of work. However, timely government intervention could expedite the process, enabling the completion of around 90% of the work by December 2025.

Although officials claim that 60% of the road construction is complete, the construction of drains remains unfinished in many places. Similarly, the development of service roads has progressed only in a few locations. Currently, service roads have been constructed only in areas where underpasses are being built, and even these are temporary. As a result, the service roads are riddled with potholes. Vehicles, including buses that regularly use this route, are frequently breaking down. The damaged service roads are also causing persistent traffic jams. Reports have emerged that underground power cables installed as part of the national highway development are being stolen in some areas. This is a project that has been brought to life during the tenure of this government. The Pinarayi government must urgently intervene to ensure the completion of the project before the end of the government’s term in May 2026.