Kochi-Theni greenfield highway project put on hold

The Nationwide Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has put on hold the 45-m-wide greenfield highway hall project linking Kochi and Theni.

The 151-km-long project was envisioned a couple of decade in the past to decongest the 121-km-long NH 85 hall between Kochi and Munnar, which begins at Kundannoor Junction on the NH Bypass right here.

The greenfield hall on NH 85 has not been dropped. It might take some extra time to finalise the project, since just a few technical and monetary feasibility points have to be sorted out. The technical points embrace finalising the greenfield highway’s alignment by the ghat part and forest lands. The NHAI is at the moment dealing with an identical concern in widening a 12-km-long stretch of the present NH 85, which is flanked by forest lands, it’s learnt.

“At current, the main target is on growing the present NH 85 by making optimum use of the obtainable house on the largely two-lane stretch,” official sources stated. Within the meantime, the NHAI has permitted an extra ₹160 crore for the project to redevelop the present NH 85 hall.

“The extra funds can be used to make sure a minimal 10-m-wide carriageway alongside your entire stretch, undertake minimal land acquisition, and straighten curves wherever vital. Furthermore, paver blocks can be laid, amongst different locations, in Munnar city. 4-laning has been deliberate at Adimali, whereas footpaths and handrails will come up at choose areas. The funds can even be used to relocate pipelines. It’s hoped that the redevelopment of the Kochi-Munnar stretch of NH 85 may be accomplished by December,” sources stated.

Responding to widespread complaints from motorists and pedestrians about insufficient lighting, highway and kerb markings on the congested and extremely accident-prone Kundannoor-Pettah stretch, which falls inside the limits of Maradu municipality and the Kochi Company, NHAI sources stated steps would shortly be taken to offer highway markings and strengthen highway shoulders.

As well as, distributors and different encroachers occupying highway shoulders and, at occasions, the tarred carriageway can be eliminated with the assistance of the police.