Union Minister for Surface Transport Nitin Gadkari has said the Palani-Munnar-Sabarimala road will be developed into a national highway soon.
Inaugurating the widening works of the Munnar-Bodimettu stretch of National Highway 85 at Munnar on Friday, Mr. Gadkari said the 370-km road would be renovated in two years. It would be developed into a national highway.
He said the Kochi-Munnar stretch of NH 85 would be developed for four-lane traffic, which would considerably reduce the traffic problems in Munnar.
Union Minister of State for Tourism Alphons Kannanthanam and Public Works Minister G.Sudhakaran, among others, attended the function.
Boost to tourism
The tourism potential of Munnar will get a boost with the completion of the work on the Munnar- Poopara- Bodimettu stretch of the Kochi- Dhanushkodi National Highway.
The 42-km ghat road is an accident-prone area and only one-way traffic is possible on some stretches. Long queues of vehicles are witnessed during weekends and on holidays when there is a rush of visitors to Munnar.
Of the estimate of ₹380 crore, ₹289 crore is earmarked for road work alone. There will be shoulder lines on both sides of the 10-metre-wide road. It will be constructed using modern technology and reducing the road height to the minimum. Besides, protection walls will be constructed on curves.
There will be 124 culverts on the stretch, which include new ones and old ones that are to be renovated. There would be 19 bus stops and four spots of tourism interests on the stretch.
The new alignment will not include the Moolathura curve and Poopara town. It will considerably reduce the distance in addition to cost savings on works. The road works are expected to be completed before the two-year period given in the agreement.
The national highway is used by Tamil residents in Munnar for emergency treatment at Theni Medical College and the distance can be covered in an hour on completion of works.
The Bodimettu -Theni (Tamil Nadu) stretch of the national highway was widened and modernised nearly two years back.