Pravachambalam-Kodinada road may be opened next week

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a major relief to the motorists and commuters who travel through the Karamana-Kaliyikkavila road regularly, the second reach of the six-lane stretch from Pravachambalam to Kodinada in Balaramapuram is likely to be commissioned by the second week of February.

According to sources close to Public Works Department (NH), Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the 5.5- km stretch. Though the exact date of commissioning is not finalised, sources said it will be be opened next month.

The corridor will ease traffic congestion, which has been a major issue faced by motorists for a long time, on the stretch. Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society (ULCCS) Ltd, which has undertaken the work, has ensured that the stretch would be a model for all roads, with street lights and garden on median, proper lane marking and sign boards, footpath with handrails and traffic signals at all junctions.

All work, except the second layer of tarring, lane marking and erecting of signal lights and signboards, have now been completed. According to the PWD officials, the Pravachambalam-Kodinada stretch will be one of the best roads in the district and ULCCS has almost completed the work with perfection. Unlike the first reach of the stretch from Karamana to Pravachambalam, this stretch has 230 LED street lights.

The 1.5-metre wide footpath has been designed in such a way to help visually challenged pedestrians too. In addition, reflectors have been set up on the median. ULCCS has also been asked to maintain the garden set up on the median for one year from the dat e of commissioning. ULCCS won the contract for widening the stretch between Pravachambalam and Kodinada at an estimate of Rs 112 crore in June 2019. However, the work got delayed due to Covid outbreak and intermittent rain.

The widening of the stretch from Karamana to Kaliyikkavila near the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border was a long-standing demand of motorists and commuters due to frequent traffic congestion at Balaramapuram, Neyyattinkara and Parassala. Though the National Highways Authority of India is developing a bypass simultaneously, commuters prefer this stretch due to full-fledged commercial activities on either side of the road.

Meanwhile, the preliminary proceedings, including the dispensation of compensation to the landowners, for the remaining congested stretch from Kodinada to Vazhimukku in Balaramapuram will begin soon. As part of the first step, the PWD will soon issue a notification for land acquisition. The officials said the election declaration will not affect the acquisition proceedings and it will happen without any hurdles.

The stretch would be a model for all roads, with street lights and garden on median, proper lane marking and sign boards, footpath with handrails and traffic signals at all junctions.

The corridor will ease traffic congestion, which has been a major issue faced by motorists for a long time, on the stretch.

The 1.5- metre wide footpath has been designed in such a way to help visually challenged pedestrians