State Public Works Minister Mohammed Riyas recently announced that the completed stretches of National Highway 66 in Kerala will be inaugurated by Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari in January next year. He also announced that during a meeting between the Kerala contingent, led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and Gadkari, it was also decided that Rs 237 crore spent by the state government on land acquisition would be written off. This is a welcome development. However, construction on some stretches, especially the southern section, including Thiruvananthapuram, is progressing at a very slow pace. Minister Riyas himself admitted this delay.

The main reason, he said, is the sloppiness of contractors. The stretches from Kasaragod–Taliparamba, Vadakara–Azhiyur–Vengalam, and Thiruvananthapuram are facing delays. Although the state and central governments are working together, many contractors have shown poor performance, and there have been lapses in supervision by National Highways Authority officials. Recently, after parts of the highway collapsed during construction, Minister Gadkari personally intervened and took strict action. This helped improve progress in some areas, but in others, there is still a shortage of workers. Minister Riyas warned that strict action would be taken against inefficient contractors. An official review meeting chaired by Gadkari will be held later this month to assess further progress.

One of the key issues has been that the detailed plan for NH-66 was prepared by the National Highways Authority without consulting local elected representatives. As a result, there are not enough underpasses or flyovers. This lack of consultation was a serious mistake, and such lapses should not happen again. Minister Gadkari praised the Kerala government for its proactive approach in land acquisition for highway development. As the Union Minister for Road Transport, Gadkari has been implementing well-planned projects to modernise India’s roads and has shown special interest in Kerala’s development. Once NH-66 is fully completed, it will open up major opportunities for growth in the state.

Meanwhile, urban roads, especially in major cities, are struggling with heavy traffic congestion. Although many roads in the state capital have been improved under the Smart City project, traffic jams remain a serious problem. There seems to be no proper plan to adjust traffic management according to the growing number of vehicles. The situation during school and office hours in Thiruvananthapuram is particularly difficult, and authorities must urgently address this issue.