The history of developed nations reveals that roads were the first things to be built. The nation will inevitably develop as the roads do. To cite a small example from Thiruvananthapuram, the four-lane highway from Kazhakootam to Kovalam and the Technopark came as government projects. The private sector has invested crores of rupees around the road. Schools, malls, flats, convention centres, restaurants and car dealerships have come up near this road. It also created many employment opportunities.

Safe transportation is also a citizen's right. In general, Malayalees have travelled all over the world on modern roads. However, the facility remained limited only in his own state. The limitation of roads has played a major role in changing even the character of Keralites in such a way that they get involved in disputes and fights over trivial traffic issues. With the completion of the widening of National Highway 66, there will be positive changes in the character of the people along with the development of the land. The progress of the country will change when the national highway and the five associated greenways are completed. A new Kerala will emerge when all the roads get completed by 2030. This is a development that will change the face of Kerala from Parassala to Kasaragod.

The project is happening only because the Centre and the state have joined hands. There may be attempts to mislead people by evaluating the project only through the lens of politics. Those who care about the good of the land and their duty to future generations should not fall into the trap. Generally speaking, the road is built using people's tax money. This is being completed under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatmala Pariyojana project. Construction of National Highways in various states is going on as part of the project. According to the figures from 2021, 13,327 km of highways have already been newly built in India. 36.51 km of highway is being constructed in a day. First of all, we owe it to this national road construction project conceived by the Prime Minister. Secondly, it is the professional competence of Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, who is leading all this, that makes the construction of these seemingly impossible roads possible. Thirdly, we owe the construction of the National Highway to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's determination. It is the responsibility of the state government to acquire the land and provide it for the construction of roads. The project cannot be implemented without the cooperation of the Water Authority, KSEB, Mining and Geology Department, Panchayats etc. It was the Chief Minister who took the lead to make all that possible with the strength of the hero. He had visited Union Minister Gadkari at least half a dozen times demanding that the construction of the national highway be started. The construction of National Highway 66 came to life after that. The total length of the national highway is 544 km. It will cost Rs 66,000 crore. 6000 crores from KIIFB, and the Centre spent Rs 16000 crores to acquire the land. The Centre will be spending Rs 45,000 crore to complete the construction.

As part of the National Highway, 22 projects have been agreed upon. There is only Uralungal company from Kerala. The other 22 projects are being done by India's largest construction companies, including L&T. Only the contract for the largest flyover in the country, spanning 13 km from Aroor to Thuravoor, remains to be awarded. As per the agreement, the six-lane road of 45 meters will be completed in 2026. Neighbouring states have completed the same road years ago. During that time, we wasted years saying that 30 meters road is enough in Kerala. We have written editorials more than once pointing out that Kerala needs a 45-meter lane and that the opportunity should not be wasted. Finally, in 2009, when VS Achuthanandan was the chief minister, it was decided in an all-party meeting to acquire the land required to build a 45-meter-wide road. Then the State Support Agreement signed by the state with the Centre became the turning point in the national highway construction. Land acquisition was started and completed by the Pinarayi government. A district-level committee headed by the Collector and a state-level committee headed by the Chief Secretary to complete the construction by the contractors and a committee chaired by the Chief Minister to review all these have been formed as part of the State Support Agreement. There have been many obstacles in some places in obtaining the rock and soil. It can be expected that these committees will intervene and resolve all that without delay. This project should not be delayed for any reason as it is a project that will change the fate of the land. Officials and panchayats should keep this in mind.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari will formally inaugurate the National Highway 66 road projects on Thursday at Karyavattom Sports Convention Centre. Along with the widening of NH 66, the construction of half a dozen major roads will also begin soon. These include the Kadampattukonam - Shenkottai Greenway, Thiruvananthapuram - Angamaly Bypass, Palakkad - Kozhikode Bypass, Malappuram - Mysore Greenway and Kochi - Thoothukudi Expressway. Apart from this, Vizhinjam- Paripally Ring Road and another six-lane road parallel to MC Road are coming up. The initial phase of its work has already started. When all this gets completed in seven years, development in Kerala will come by itself. Let these modern travel routes pave the way for the anti-development mindset of the Malayalis, in general, to change drastically.