Sabarimala Ropeway DPR to Be Prepared Soon as Centre Gives In-Principle Approval to Ropeway Projects; Kerala Gets ₹2,039 Crore for Highway Projects
New Delhi: The Central Government has sanctioned ₹2,039 crore for five national highway development projects in Kerala that are set to be implemented soon, Kerala Public Works Minister P. K. Basheer announced on Wednesday after meeting Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari in New Delhi.
Addressing the media after the meeting, Basheer said the approved projects include ₹40 crore for the construction of the Bairakuppa Bridge, which will improve connectivity between Kerala and Karnataka. The Centre has also approved ₹98.40 crore for works on National Highway 744, connecting Tirumangalam in Tamil Nadu with Kollam, and ₹172 crore for the Kozhikode–Palakkad National Highway project.
The minister further announced that the Centre has given in-principle approval for ropeway projects at Sabarimala, Munnar, and Wayanad. A Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Sabarimala ropeway project will be prepared shortly.
The minister said land acquisition for the Kozhikode–Palakkad Greenfield National Highway is in its final stage, and both sides agreed to commence construction once the process is completed.
The Centre has also sanctioned ₹66 crore for the Thiruvananthapuram–Kazhakkoottam road project. In addition, approval has been granted for a ₹1,663-crore four-laning project on the Kollam–Theni route, covering the stretch from Kadavoor to Chengannur–Anjilimoodu, Basheer said.
According to Basheer, Gadkari also assured that approval for the widening of the Adimali–Kumily stretch of National Highway 185 will be granted soon.
The minister said the alignment for the Kodungallur–Angamaly Bypass will be finalized shortly. Plans are also underway to connect the Willingdon Island–Kundannoor Bypass with the Aroor–Angamaly Bypass. He added that revised alignment approvals for the Kothamangalam and Muvattupuzha bypasses are expected within three months.
Basheer also said the Union Minister has directed officials to move forward with a proposal for constructing an elevated highway from Ramanattukara to Kozhikode International Airport.
The meeting was attended by Public Works Secretary Adeel Abdulla, Additional Secretary V. R. Vinod, Chief Engineer Isaac Varghese, and other senior officials from the Kerala Public Works Department.