Twin flyovers to be ready by Sept. 2017.

The work on Vyttila and Kundanoor flyovers will begin before May and the twin structures will be completed by September 2017, Principal Secretary of PWD, A.P. M. Mohammed Hanish said.

Speaking to The Hindu , he said that there is no going back on PWD building the flyovers which together cost Rs. 185 crore. “Their construction is fait accompli and have to be ready before Kochi hosts FIFA Under-17 World Cup in October,” Mr. Hanish, who is also nodal officer for the matches said.

This would cut short the period of construction from 18 months to 16 months.

The Finance Department’s opposition to State funds being used for flyovers on NHAI-owned Edapally-Aroor NH 47 Bypass petered out following a recent meeting of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy (who also holds the Finance portfolio), Minister for Public Works V. K. Ibrahim Kunju, Additional Chief Secretary K. M. Abraham and Mr. Hanish.

“The PWD has already forwarded the file to Finance Department, anticipating NHAI issuing no-objection certificate and formal sanction of Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways for the flyovers to be built using State funds. The funds will be pooled from fuel cess collected by the State government,” he said.

On the expected date for formal laying of foundation stone for the projects, Mr. Hanish said that it can be done if there is any delay in model code of conduct for Assembly polls taking effect.

'All paper work to award tenders is ready and the process can be completed in less than 45 days of receiving NHAI's NOC. Works can begin simultaneously by May since their design is approved and there is no need for land acquisition,' he said.

Referring to Palarivattom flyover being built by RBDCK, he said that the 35-metre-long central girder will be launched shortly, to commission the structure by February end.

Another key infra project that has been sped up with the FIFA World cup in mind is the extension of Seaport-Airport Road to the airport, he said. Two overbridges are ready, while Rs. 132 crore has been allotted for land acquisition and construction of HMT-NAD stretch in the corridor by March 2017. The NAD-Mahilalayam extension will be taken up soon after.

Next in the pipeline is Chakkaraparambu-Airport-Seaport Road which is in the planning stage.

THE HINDU