KC Venugopal Meets Nitin Gadkari, Raises Issues Including Elevated Highway In Kayamkulam
Newly elected Alappuzha MP and senior Congress leader KC Venugopal met with Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, alongside officials from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), to discuss concerns related to the ongoing National Highway expansion in his constituency.
Venugopal released a statement on the meeting, noting, “There are many problems related to the national highway in Alappuzha Lok Sabha constituency. Pointing out this, Union Minister of Surface Transport Nitin Gadkari was met in Delhi and submitted a petition today. The Minister informed that Venkata Ramana, a member of the National Highways Authority, has been assigned the task of studying the issues raised on this basis and taking remedial measures.”
The meeting focused on addressing various issues, including the reconstruction of the national highway in areas such as Arur-Thuravur, Cherthala, Ambalapuzha, Kayamkulam, Ochira, and Karunagappalli. Venugopal highlighted the serious problems faced by local residents and commuters due to the construction activities. He emphasized that the construction of an elevated road that would divide the city of Kayamkulam is unacceptable, citing ongoing popular agitations and struggles.
Venugopal proposed several specific measures to alleviate traffic problems, including extending the length of the elevated road at Karunagappalli to the Vocational Higher Secondary School Junction, constructing a pillar elevated road at Ambalapuzha, and extending the elevated road from Cherthala Arthunkal Junction to Ahwanam Junction. He also requested the construction of a foot overbridge at Mathilakam Hospital Junction, an underpass at Cherthala Ahwanam Junction, and other locations to improve traffic flow.
The MP called for urgent intervention to resolve the traffic issues associated with the Arur-Thuravur elevated road construction and to improve the condition of the old national highway to make it roadworthy.
Venugopal expressed hope that the assurances given by the minister would be fulfilled promptly, with the minister’s directive to NHAI officials to investigate and report on the issues raised.
Demand for a fly over in Kayamkulam
The locals in Alappuzha’s Kayamkulam have been protesting and sending delegations to various legislative and executive forums for a long time, advocating for a flyover in one of the busiest junctions near the town after the National Highway Authority of India decided to go ahead with the NH-66 widening plans in the area. According to them, the plans are ill-conceived and will jeopardize the entire business, social, cultural, and educational aspirations of one of the most populated areas in the state.
Kayamkulam is one of the oldest mercantile cities in Kerala, and people from all corners depend on its ancient market for business. However, the current NHAI plan to widen NH-66 divides the city into two. Once the plan is implemented, the national highway will act like a wall between the east and west.
According to the latest information, NHAI might construct an underpass at ONK junction, the main junction through which lakhs of people from the west come to Kayamkulam town, where most major basic infrastructure is located. Regarding the proposed underpass, people associated with the current agitation argue that it is not a good idea, as traffic in both directions at the said junction is heavy and expected to increase in the future.
Moreover, there is a human aspect to the plans that people are protesting against. Thousands of students from the west depend on schools and colleges in and around Kayamkulam town for their education. This area has produced first-generation graduates and even 12th pass individuals from recent history. The upward movement in education will be affected if the connection between the east and west of the NH is disrupted by a wall-like road.
Kayamkulam, like many other urban centres in Kerala existed before the introduction of National Highways, and the kinships and friendships are spread across both sides of the current NH. This wall like NH that is coming up is going to break these relationships, people fear.
Locals hope for a positive review of the current plan and consider legal recourse as a last resort. According to the NHAI plan, a total of 176.19 km of NH-66 stretch will be widened in three districts at a combined cost of Rs 18,312.38 crore.
