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Road widening work on the Karamana-Pravachambalam stretch of the National Highway will be taken up soon, PWD Minister V K Ebrahim Kunju informed the Assembly on Tuesday. This work will form the first stage of actual widening of the long delayed Karamana-Kalayikkavila stretch of the National Highway.

The tenders for the work will be floated soon, Ebrahim Kunju said in reply to a question by V Sivankutty MLA. Acquisition of land needed for the development of this reach has been completed. In all, the state government - which is funding the widening of the Karamana-Kalayikkavila stretch had sanctioned INR 376 crore. INR 302 crore has been spent so far, Ebrahim Kunju said.

The widening works are being taken up for a total distance of 29 kilometres. Although it is a national highway, the funds for the work are being provided by the state government. ‘’The NH-widening is being taken up in two stretches, the 12 kilometres from Karamana to Vazhimukku, and 17 kilometres from Vazhimukku to Kalayikkavila. The government has sanctioned INR 74 crore for the present work,’’ the Minister said.

Problems in land acquisition had delayed the widening of this crucial stretch, which is a major southern road link between Kerala and Tamil Nadu, for years. Despite promises by successive governments, a solution had eluded the problem so far. Traffic snarls are a common sight on the road owing to its narrowness and the heavy traffic between the two states during the peak morning and evening hours.

Earlier, Sivankutty alleged that the UDF government had not earmarked sufficient funds for the development of the road. The previous LDF government had sanctioned INR 640 crore in all for the stretch, he said.

To another question, the PWD Minister said that the construction of the Attingal Bypass, the sole solution to the traffic congestion within that town, would be speeded up.

Source-On Request