THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Union government has granted permission for the construction of a fly-over from Chakai to Injackal by retaining the existing ramps of the Thiruvananthapuram international airport on the condition that the state should bear 50 per cent of the additional cost to be incurred. The decision would bring an end to months-long stalemate over the widening of the national highway from the airport owing to the ramp, which was allegedly constructed by the state government without the permission of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI).
According to highly placed government sources, the Centre has granted nod to a fresh design proposed by the state government in consultations with various stake-holders. As per the plan approved now, a two-way fly-over will begin at Chakai rail over bridge and will end near Injackal junction. There will be slip roads in between for accessing the airport. An underpass proposed at Chakai as per the initial plans could be also avoided as per this plan.
The state government finalised the plan after considering several ones, including those submitted by noted traffic planning expert N.S. Srinivasan. According to the NHAI, the total cost of the fly-over would be nearly Rs 142 crore. The additional cost will be calculated by deducting the cost involved for the Chakai-Injackal stretch as per the initial plan. The state government had agreed to this in principle, said sources. Meanwhile, the state government and NHAI are also learnt to have reached a consensus that a flyover proposed at Kazhakkoottam would be included in the Kazhakkoottam-Cherthala NH widening project. The proposal was to have a flyover starting near Kazhakkootam police station and ending near Technopark’s main entrance.
