The restoration work of the flood-ravaged Alappuzha-Changanassery (AC) Road will begin next month.
Kerala State Transport Project (KSTP) officials said here on Thursday that the contract for carrying out the work had been finalised and an agreement would be signed with the contractor in the coming days. The road would be restored at an estimated cost of ₹9.89 crore.
“We hope to commence the work in the next couple of weeks. As part of the work, the height of the road will be increased in a number of places and the damaged portions will be repaired,” said a KSTP official.
The height of the road will be increased at Pandarakalam, Pallathuruthy, Ponga, Poopally Junction, Nedumudi Petrol pump, Nazarath Junction, Mampuzhakari and Block Junction.
The majority of the 24-km road was damaged in the recent floods. The road was closed for traffic for more than three weeks following the initial flooding in July.
It was submerged again for a second time in the middle of August. The road was opened to traffic on August 29 after the Irrigation Department drained out the floodwaters from several areas using a dredger and eight high-power pump sets.
Prior to the monsoon fury, a portion of the AC Road near the Mankombu bridge had remained submerged for 11 days.
Authorities had then blamed padasekhara samithis in the region for opening of outer bunds for the flooding of the road.
After the floods, the KSTP had carried out emergency repair woks for ₹35 lakh. However, the road remains battered in several areas.
Reconstruction
With recurring flooding of the road, the State government, other than carrying out the maintenance of the road, is now planning to reconstruct the road after increasing its height.
Public Works Minister G. Sudhakaran has directed the authorities to prepare a detailed project report to reconstruct the road in the near future. Officials said the project would cost between ₹70 crore and ₹80 crore.