Giving a major boost to road infrastructure in Kerala, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday, December 15, inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for 15 National Highways projects at a total cost of Rs 45,536 crore in Thiruvananthapuram.
The Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways said that projects worth Rs 3 lakh crore will be implemented in Kerala by the end of 2025 and the union government aims to implement road infrastructure development having international standards in the southern state.
Noting that good roads are the biggest strength of the tourism sector, Gadkari, speaking at the function organised in Thiruvananthapuram also said that these projects will help to increase tourism by three times.
He said three projects will be included in the industrial corridor. "A total of 919 km of the industrial corridor will pass through Kerala in these three projects worth Rs 87,224 crore. Mumbai - Kanyakumari Corridor - Total length - 1619 km. 644 km passes through Kerala, the project cost is Rs 61,060 crore.
"The total distance of the Kanyakumari - Kochi corridor is 443 km. 166 km passing through Kerala. The project cost for this is Rs 20,000 crore. Bangalore - Malappuram- 323 km, 72 km passing through Kerala, the project cost is Rs 7,134 crore. This corridor will pass through 9 districts of Kerala. It will also include the country's largest six-lane elevated highway,” the minister said, adding that the aim is to complete these three projects before 2024.
Gadkari said that compared to the land acquisition in other states, the costs are relatively high in Kerala. "This is the biggest obstacle to road development in the southern state", the Union Minister said.
Referring to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's conversation with him on the issue of difficulties faced by the state to bear 25 per cent of the cost of land acquisition as promised earlier, Gadkari said they will sit together and find alternative ways to arrive at a solution to the problem.
Gadkari said the state should find ways to reduce the use of fossil fuels. "The state government should take steps to convert the public transport system to biofuel, electric, green, hydrogen, etc. as soon as possible to reduce pollution as well as the cost of travel,” he said.
Compared to the land acquisition in other states, the Union Minister pointed out that the costs are relatively high in Kerala. He said that this is the biggest obstacle to road development in Kerala.
The 544 km development projects inaugurated on Thursday are being implemented by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). It will also include a six-lane highway from Vadakkanchery to Thrissur and a four-lane elevated highway from Kazhakootam to Technopark.
Pinarayi Vijayan presided over the event. He called it an important day for the development of infrastructure in the state.
Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs V Muraleedharan said that these projects show the cooperation of the people of Kerala for the development of the state.
He also said that sanctioning of projects in the country and their implementation are going on at the same speed due to the efforts of the union government.
Governor Arif Muhammad Khan, State Minister for Public Works and Tourism & Tourism P A Mohamed Riyas, State Food and Civil Supplies Minister G R Anil, NHAI Regional Officers S K Razaak, BL Meena among others attended the event.
The infrastructure projects launched on Thursday consist of the longest six-lane flyover in the country from Aroor to Thuravoor Thekku on NH-66 with a length of approximately 13 km, which will facilitate faster and hassle-free connectivity between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, and also will reduce the transportation cost.
It will boost broad economic growth in Kasaragod, Kannur, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Palakkad, Thrissur, Ernakulam, Alappuzha, Kollam, and Thiruvananthapuram districts of the southern state, Gadkari noted.
Noting that projects are instrumental to growth in ports of Azhikkal, Beypore, Cochin, Kollam, and under construction Vizhinjam International Seaport, Gadkari said Kuthiram tunnel is going to be the first-ever six-lane twin tube tunnel in southern India, which will reduce travel time from 30 to 2 minutes.
"Decongestion of traffic from Thalappady to Thiruvananthapuram will benefit the Technopark IT Hub. Travel time will reduce from 17 to 9 hours between the above two places,” he said.
The project will generate huge employment in both direct and indirect modes as well as self-employment opportunities. It will also stimulate the export of Kerala spices, coffee, cashews, fish, fishery products, coconut, and coir products, he added.