Poll Year Infrastructure Binge of Kerala Government: Rs. 3,311 Crore.

In a move to spruce up its image before the upcoming local body and Assembly elections, the government has decided to launch Rs. 3,311 crore road development and flyover projects in the state.

The cash-strapped government has decided to tap funds from foreign funding agencies like Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) and the World Bank.

The remaining funds will be raised by awarding the works on an annuity scheme, build-operate-transfer(BOT) method and from the fuel cess that the Public Works Department(PWD) would annually get from the sale of diesel and petrol in the state.

The major projects announced recently are the flyovers at NH Bypass in Kundannoor and Vyttila junctions, the second phase of Karamana-Kaliyikkavila four-lane road and the Kozhikode City Road Development project.

Works Minister V K Ebrahim Kunju said the decision to avail foreign funds was taken considering the financial crunch that the government is facing.


THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS