An aerial view of the national highway 66 stretch at Kooriyad in Malappuram district in Kerala that collapsed on May 19, 2025
| Photo Credit: SAKKEER HUSSAIN
Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader E.T. Muhammad Basheer has said Union Minister for Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has formed a high-level committee of experts drawn from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) to study the structural defects and allied public safety risk along the stretch of the under-construction National Highway-66 stretch in Malappuram district in Kerala.
Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Mr. Basheer said he had called on Mr. Gadkari to apprise him of the grave public concern following the collapse of a significant portion of the NH-66 near the Kooriyad bridge.
Mr. Basheer said Mr. Gadkari stated that the Union government would bring the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) officials and the construction firm they contracted to construct the six-lane highway to book.
Mr. Basheer said Mr. Gadkari had withdrawn the bank guarantee for the construction company, an Andhra Pradesh-based firm. “Mr. Gadkari said he would also disqualify the contractor from bidding on any future national highway-related construction works and blacklist the firm”, he said.
Mr. Basheer said Mr. Gadkari was seriously concerned that the completed part of the NH-66 had collapsed. He said the Minister had ordered an inquiry into the suspected oversight lapses and promised swift action against the errant officials, including NHAI officials, Central government engineers and their inspection teams.
Safety audit
Mr. Basheer also informed Mr. Gadkari of the appearance of cracks, possibly due to sinkage, on the elevated stretches of the NH-66 passing through Kozhikode and Kasaragod. The Minister promised a sweeping structural safety audit. He termed Mr. Gadkari’s approach to the problem “constructive and proactive on-the-spot action.”
Protests in Thrissur, Kannur
Meanwhile, protests erupted at Chavakkad, Thrissur district, after a social media post showing cracks on the newly-constructed national highway stretch went viral. People blocked the road, accusing the NHAI of doing a cosmetic job to cover up the shoddy construction.
Similar protests erupted at Thaliparambu in Kannur district after sodden mud from the NH construction site, unsettled by heavy rain, deluged adjacent houses and affected pedestrian and vehicular traffic.
Youth Congress march
Meanwhile, Youth Congress workers protested outside the construction company’s office in Malappuram. They demanded that the NHAI examine the structural safety of an estimated 77 km of the NH-66, which the firm completed. The police later arrested and removed the protesters.
Published – May 21, 2025 01:47 pm IST
