THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala’s longest four-lane elevated highway at Kazhakootam has been opened unofficially for traffic. With this, the travel at NH 66 is now free of traffic blocks. The traffic to Technopark is also smooth now. The length of the flyover is 2.71 km. The official inauguration will be on 15th December.
The construction of the elevated highway began on 2019 but due to Covid and other factors the construction got delayed. The National Highway Authority had decided to open the flyover on November 1st. The inauguration got delayed due to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari’s inconvenience on that day. There was widespread criticism of the delay in inauguration even after all the construction works got over.
On December 15, Union Minister, Nitin Gadkari, will inaugurate the flyover in a function at Kariyavattom Greenfield Stadium. Governor Arif Mohammad Khan, Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, Minister of State, V Muraleedharan, PWD Minister, Muhammad Riyas, etc. will attend the function.
Gadkari will also lay the foundation stone of the Rs.40,453 crore construction programs of NH 66 till Kasaragod.
The flyover is going above the Kazhakootam junction where the old national highway meets the bypass road. Those vehicles coming from Kollam now can enter the flyover from near the CSI Mission Hospital at Kazhakootam. The entrance to Technopark is through the road below.