Nod awaited for DPR on bypass.

The National Highway Division of the Public Works Department (PWD) is awaiting approval from the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways on the tenders received to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) to convert the Kozhikode Bypass into a four-lane carriageway.

Official sources told The Hindu here on Wednesday that Chennai-based STUP Consultants Pvt. Ltd, Mumbai – headquartered Larsen and Toubro and Kochi-based Kitco Limited had evinced interest in the e-tenders.

However, the tender of Kitco Limited had been rejected as the technical consultancy firm had already taken up four projects. This was against the norms stipulated for tendering.

The proposals of other two firms are under scrutiny by the Ministry. They had quoted above the normal rates. The amount could not be disclosed as these are e-tenders. Incidentally the PWD had not prepared any DPR in this regard, the sources said.

E.K. Hydru, executive engineer (National Highway Division), said that the land required to convert the two-lane carriageway into 45-metre width highway had already been acquired. Only in January, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy had commissioned the entire stretch of the 28.14-km stretch of Kozhikode Bypass from Vengalam to Idumuzhikkal.

The proposal to convert the bypass comes at the time when the two-lane bypass is congested especially at Malaparamba, Thondayad and Ramanattukara junctions. The total cost of the four-lane project would be in the range between Rs. 800-1,000 crore. Four new bridges including two across Korapuzha and Purakkateri rivers would have to be constructed.

Already the State government had accorded sanction to construct flyovers parallel to the National Highway at Ramanattukara and Thondayad. The Vadakara-based Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society (ULCCS), had begun the preparatory works.

However, a new flyover at Malaparamba junction is required to decongest the bypass as the vehicle traffic density is heavy. Now vehicles from Vadakara side use the bypass to proceed to Calicut Airport and Thrissur and vice-versa without entering the city.

The proposed flyover could be constructed perpendicular to the Kozhikode Bypass and parallel to the National Highway 766 (Wayanad Road), Mr. Hydru said.

He said that land was readily available and would be acquired under the Kozhikode City Road Improvement Project to widen the Mananchira- Vellimadukunnu road. Only then the traffic congestion on the bypass could be solved, he said.

THE HINDU