4 more NH corridors in State get nod.

Another 197 km spread over four road corridors now under Public Works Department is to become part of National Highway network of the country.

Thiruvananthapuram-Thenmala, Hosdurg-Panathur-Bhagamandala-Madikeri in Kerala and Karnataka, Cherkala-Kalladaka and Vadakanchery-Pollachi in Kerala and Tamil Nadu are the road corridors that will be added to the NH network.

The approval of the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) to upgrade these four corridors as NH has reached the government, Minister for Pubic Works G. Sudhakaran said.

The PWD National Highway wing has to prepare the detailed project report (DPR) to be submitted to the MoRTH. The sanctioned works in the Nedumangad-Vazhiyila corridor will be completed before the Thiruvananthapuram-Thenmala corridor is handed over. The DPR will take this into account, he added.

The upgrade is part of the MoRTH’s initiative to improve the road connectivity across the country. The road connectivity from the State to adjoining Karnataka and Tamil Nadu will also be enhanced with the upgrade. The 197 km is part of the 334 km of road spread over 10 corridors approved in principle by MoRTH for inclusion in the NH network.

The move to upgrade the 10 corridors is based on the recommendation of the State government to MoRTH.

For the cash-strapped State and the PWD, the upgrade of the 197 km as NH is a big relief as they do not have to mobilise resources for the relaying and upkeep of these four road stretches.

With the four corridors making it to the NH network of the country, the present 1,781 km NH corridors in the State will go up to 1978 km. Once the stretch is declared NH officially by the MoRTH, the development will be carried as per NH specification stipulated by Indian Roads Congress.

THE HINDU