THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Public Works Department is awaiting a positive response from the centre on the state’s plan to go in for 45-metre width for NH development.
But a section of PWD officials is unsure when the NH development will take off. Already the NHAI has decided to withdraw from various National Highway Development Projects (NHDP) and only 162 km on the NH 47 stretch from Valayar to Aroor is being maintained by it.
The cabinet had decided on October 24 to acquire land required for developing the NH stretches in compliance with the NHAI stipulation of the minimum width of 45 metres.
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy had assured the centre that it would acquire 80 percent of the required land and hand it over to the NHAI. According to a top PWD official, four-lane works on the stretch between Mannuthy and Aroor have been completed. The NHAI had withdrawn from the rest of the stretches.
“We are awaiting further action from the centre and it would be a long process. Until then, work will be at a standstill,” said a top PWD official.
NHAI project director in Kochi, Mr C. T. Abraham, told DC that work would resume only after further discussions were initiated between the two parties.
“The NH development works would depend on further deliberations and consultations between the state and the central governments,” he said.
