Facelift for 63 km of NH across Kerala.

Over 60 km of National Highway (NH) corridors under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) in the State is to be subjected to periodic renewal, improvements, strengthening, and geometrical corrections to ensure a cosy ride for motorists.

While 10 km of the corridors on National Highway (NH) 66 is to be subjected to periodic renewal, another 17 km is to be strengthened and geometric improvements made under the Annual Plan for 2018-19. The remaining 36 km, spread over three corridors on NH 183 and 183A, will be subjected to strengthening and geometric improvements.

Though the corridors fall under MoRTH, the National Highway wing of the Public Works Department (PWD) takes care of the roads.

“The corridors will get a new bituminous macadam and bituminous concrete (BM & BC) topping. Strengthening and geometrical improvements will be made wherever necessary,” a top PWD (NH) official told The Hindu.

The road stretches had been identified for the works by the PWD (NH) wing based on the wear and tear caused to the road surface, rough stretches prone to development of potholes and those due for relaying on completion of five years of black topping.

The works will be executed in the Engineering -Procurement -Construction (EPC) mode by MoRTH. It has floated tenders for the works and will be awarded next month itself so that the works will begin before the forthcoming monsoon.

The EPC contractor will have to take up the maintenance of the corridor within the period granted in the bid and that varies from three to five years. The contractor had been given six months to one year to complete the works. All the works spread over five corridors are estimated to cost over Rs. 82 lakh.

THE HINDU