Kozhikode Bypass to be opened by December.

The construction of the fifth and the final portion of Kozhikode Bypass is progressing apace and possibly it will be opened to public by December.

Minister for Public Works V.K. Ebrahim Kunju, who carried out an inspection of the ongoing works, said 65 per cent of the construction had been completed. Kozhikode Bypass will be the first National Highway in the country to be fully funded by the State government.

Total cost

The total cost of the project is Rs. 153 crore. About 70 per cent of the construction of two bridges across rivers Korappuzha and Purakkateri has been completed.

After completion, the Korappuzha bridge, whose length would be almost half a kilomtere, will be the longest bridge in north Kerala.

Not affected

The work has not been affected in spite of the non availability of sand and other raw materials on various occasions. The commission of the entire Kozhikode Bypass will be completed before its allotted duration.

The length of the Korappuzha Bridge will be 445 m and Purakkatteri, 185 m.

In fact, the alignment of the 5.1-km road involving the construction of two bridges has been a major achievement.

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy officially inaugurated the activities on September 1, and the Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society (ULCCS) was entrusted with the work.

The 28.12-km Kozhikode Bypass, forming part of the National Highway No.17, stretches from Vengalam to Idimuzhikkal.

It will pass through the eastern part of Kozhikode city via Chemmancherry, Thalakulathoor, Pooladikunnu, Vengeri, Nellikkode, Koottuli, Olavanna, Pantheerankavu, and Vazhayoor to reach the Ramanattukara grama panchayat.

The construction of the 23-km two-lane road (45m wide) from Idimuzhikkal to Pooladikunnu has already been completed.

The first stretch from Idimuzhikkal to Pantheerankkavu is 7.25 km; second, from Pantheerankkavu to Thondayad, is 6.17 km; third, from Thondayad to Malapparamba, 2.74 km, and fifth from Malapparamba to Pooladikunnu, 6.86 km.

Vehicles

Once completed, vehicles from northern Vadakara side could reach Calicut Airport and vice versa without entering the city.

At present, these are diverted at Pooladikunnu to reach the National Highway No.17.

The State government was forced to fund the road project, as it had found that the acquisition of land for the purpose under the National Highway Development Project got delayed.

Now, the construction has been envisaged under the Speed Kerala Project aimed at resolving the traffic congestion in many highways passing through major towns and cities.

THE HINDU