The 43 km portion of the NH-47 Thiruvananthapuram bypass between Kazhakuttam on the northern outskirts of the city to Karode on the Kerala/Tamil Nadu border has been a long-pending major road project of Thiruvanathapuram district. The project which has significant implications for smoothening the flow of road traffic from the southern districts of the State to important destinations such as Kanyakumari across the border in Tamil Nadu .
This 43 km stretch is part of the larger 212 km NH-47 bypass project of the NHAI in the State from Thuravur which had been started way back in 1974. After completing acquisition of land sufficient for a 27 km four-lane road between Kazhakuttam and Kottukal (end of Vizhinjam village), a 2-lane stretch of 22 kms between Kazhakuttam and Kovalam junction was completed about 15 years back. Thereafter, the work had come to a standstill. This had led not only to complete halt of the construction of this important bypass but also severe financial distress to landowners on the entire remaining 17 km alignment drawn up between Kottukal and Karode whose land had not been acquired.
Soon after his election to the Lok Sabha Dr. Shashi Tharoor took up the matter forcefully with successive Union Ministers of Road Transport and Highways (Shri Kamal Nath and the present Minister Shri C.P Joshi) and pressed for resumption of the long-stalled project on priority basis.
As a result of his sustained efforts the NHAI have now revived the project and a decision has been taken with the approval of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to issue the fresh 3A Gazette Notification which will be followed up by further proceedings up to 3D within 6 months (issue of tender) and up to 3H with 1 year ,as per the National Highways Act, 1956 in a time-bound manner to complete the land acquisition formalities. The total cost of the project, which will be under BOT, is expected to be around Rs. 750 crores, including land acquisition and pre-construction activity, both of which will be directly handled by the NHAI.
A total of 70.65 Hectares will have to be acquired on the 17km Kottukall-Karode stretch. In addition, a total of 25.26 Hectares will have to be additionally acquired on the 22 km Kazhakuttam-Kottukal stretch for structures such as bridges, culverts, viaducts, etc. to facilitate the widening of the existing 2-lane road to 4-lane. The whole project will include construction of 4 major bridges including a new bridge at Aakulam, 60 culverts, one rail over bridge at Chakai and 11 underpasses.
It is understood that the NHAI will, in the first phase of the resumed project, take up the 4-lane work of the first 27 kms (Kazhakuttam-Kottukal) where land has already been acquired . Construction of the remaining 15 kms will be taken up as soon as the land acquisition process (which will be taken up simultaneously along with the first phase) is completed.
NHAI expects to complete the entire project (Kazhakuttam to Karode) within 36 months.
These developments represent a remarkable achievement for a project which has remained stagnant for more than 15 years.