Mukkola-Karode Road: Hurdles over raw materials cleared

Thiruvananthapuram: As National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) is gearing up to wind up the widening works of Kazhakoottam-Mukkola stretch, the hurdles in the second phase of works (from Mukkola to Karode), which was going through a rough patch owing to shortage of raw materials, was cleared following a meeting of national highway and department of environment officials the other day.
The widening of the 16.5-km stretch, which is being undertaken by L&T constructions, needed a total of around 6,54,000 cubic metres of quarry materials for construction.
Though it had applied to department of mining and geology, the approval was given only for around 3,04,000 cubic metres.
Moreover, a recent decision to introduce prior environmental clearance for quarrying for NH projects came as a hurdle for completing the project on time. This was resolved in the recent meeting, which decided to continue the exemption for NH widening projects. “Around 78% of the work has been completed. The construction of around 8-km concrete road has been completed. However, the delay in getting raw materials on time would affect the work, especially since there is onset of monsoon within four months,” sources in NHAI said.
The NHAI is procuring crushed sand from Tirunelveli while other quarrying materials are sourced from places such as Kottukal, Anavoor, Irumbil, Chenkal, Parasuvaikkal in the district. Quarrying materials of around 3,50,000 cubic metres will be needed for the remaining works.
Sources in NHAI said that the project is progressing with an aim to complete it by May. The NHAI will have to complete an additional service road of around 5.6km.
The NHAI had not included continuous service road in the detailed project report considering the fact that the bypass is in a greenfield stretch in rural area. However, following local protest, NHAI has recently prepared a proposal for the construction of service road.
Sources said that regional office has sent the proposal to NHAI for a change of scope for construction of service road and is awaiting approval.
Meanwhile, it has also issued 3(A) notification for acquisition of around 1.23 acres for the construction of the remaining service roads of 5.5-metre width. There is also demand for construction of underpasses and overpasses in several stretches, which is delaying work.
Once completed, the Mukkola-Karode stretch will be the first concrete road project of NHAI in the state.
The project was awarded to L&T in June 2015 with a construction period of 24 months. After several deadlines lapsed, the NHAI is planning to complete works by May.