NH 66 expansion in Kollam hit by multiple hurdles
The expansion of Highway (NH) 66 in Kollam continues to face major hurdles, driven by technical setbacks, safety concerns, and mounting delays. Spanning approximately 63
The expansion of Highway (NH) 66 in Kollam continues to face major hurdles, driven by technical setbacks, safety concerns, and mounting delays. Spanning approximately 63 km across two major reaches from Kottankulangara to the Kollam Bypass and from the bypass to Kadambattukonam, the project’s completion timeline has undergone massive revisions. Official deadlines for the Kottankulangara–Kollam Bypass section have been extended from October 2024 to December 31, 2027. Similarly, the timeline for the stretch from the bypass to Kadambattukonam has been extended from March 2025 to June 30, 2027.
Although interim completion goals were targeted for the end of this year, ground-level assessments indicate that achieving this is highly improbable due to slow progress. A major reason for these delays was the structural collapse on December 5, when a reinforced earth (RE)wall collapsed at Mylakkadu during its final construction phase. Following this failure, a decision was taken to construct a viaduct in place of the damaged structure, with the contractor bearing the cost. Answering a query by N.K. Premachandran, MP, in the Lok Sabha, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari confirmed that an expert committee comprising geotechnical specialists from IIT Delhi and IIT Palakkad has been evaluating the structural safety of all earthen embankments in Kollam.
Detailed soil tests and borehole investigations have been completed, and current structural designs, specifically the RE walls, are undergoing rigorous review based on field data and soil characteristics. Key infrastructure components along the route remain far from operational. In the Kavanad–Paripally (Kadambattukonam) reach, critical work on the
Kallumthazham, Kadavoor, and Mevaram bridges is still at the girder casting phase, with only piling works completed so far. While repeated assurances regarding the reopening of the eastern side of the Kallumthazham bypass remain unfulfilled, the Neendakara bridge is expected to take months to be fully operational.
The BriefWire