The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is expected to shortly announce the alignment for the approximately 151-km six-lane greenfield NH that it has envisaged on the Kochi-Munnar-Theni stretch, in order to decongest the 121-km Kochi-Munnar NH 85 corridor.
The agency is encountering delay in finalising the alignment that was expected to be ready in early 2023, since hills and valleys abound on the proposed greenfield corridor. This would necessitate unusually tall pillars for bridges in some areas. In this situation, it may take a couple of months more to finalise the alignment for the NH corridor that was mooted to establish seamless connectivity between Kochi and Tuticorin ports, it is learnt.
Official sources said that the State government would in all probability pool in with 25% of the cost of land acquisition, as was done for the development of NH 66. However, the valuation of buildings and other structures in the corridor might vary depending on their age, since this is a greenfield NH along an entirely new alignment. This is quite unlike the case with the alignment of NH 66 which runs largely alongside the existing heavily built-up NH, where buildings that were pulled down were given similar compensation, irrespective of their age and subsequent depreciation in value.
The six-lane greenfield corridor that would begin south of Kundannoor Junction on Edappally-Aroor NH 66 Bypass and traverses through least-built-up and vacant areas, is expected to cost ₹3,000 crore. The NHAI would levy toll from motorists.
Toll booth
In the meantime, the NHAI is learnt to have identified land near the upcoming new bridge at Neriamangalam to build a toll plaza to collect toll from vehicles that commute through the existing Kochi-Munnar NH 85 corridor, sources said. This narrow but busy corridor is being redeveloped as a two-lane highway, for ₹790 crore. Land acquisition will be minimal.
It would also have paved shoulders, retention walls and drains wherever needed, to avert landslips like the ones that occur every year nearer to Munnar. This highway redevelopment project, whose work is expected to begin shortly, is slated to be completed by the third quarter of 2025. The redeveloped highway would have a five-year defect-liability period, during which time the contractor would have to ensure its upkeep. This corridor would most likely be handed over to the State government, once the greenfield NH is commissioned.
