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Opening of Alappuzha bypass likely to be delayed further

Alappuzha: Delay in completion of Alappuzha bypass work is cited as the main reason for the traffic chaos in Alappuzha town. According to officials concerned, Alappuzha bypass could be opened only by 2020.

Power House Bridge, YMCA Junction, District Court Bridge, Boat Jetty, Police Aid-post Junction, Iron Bridge Junction, Stone Bridge Junction, General Hospital Junction, Changanassery Junction and Kalarcode are witnessing heavy traffic block daily.



“Now, it takes long time to cross Alappuzha town for the people going towards Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam through national highway 66. The roads in Alappuzha town are narrow and traffic control during holidays and festival season go out of control of police personnel,” said Sanil M, a gym trainer residing close to Alappuzha town.

According to district administration officials, opening of the bypass would be a big relief for Alappuzha as vehicles commuting through the NH towards Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi can continue their journey without entering the Alappuzha town.

“Over 90% works of Alappuzha bypass projecthas been completed. But to open the bypass, we have to construct two railway overbridges (ROBs) at Kuthirapanthy and Malikamukku,” said district collector Adeela Abdulla.

“However, the contractors of the bypass had stopped the construction of the two ROBs after the railways found that the contractors had placed girders of ROBs by making changes in the permitted alignment. So, the railway authorities have asked the contractors to rectify the mistakes before starting the construction works of the ROBs,” added Abdulla.

“Shortage of police officers and absence of good vehicles are making us difficulty to control traffic in an effective way. Another problem we face here is the reckless driving by autorickshaw drivers ,” said a senior police officer here.

The revenue department had acquired land for the bypass in 1980. In 2008, Alappuzha bypass was included as a part of the project of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to convert the NH66 into a four-lane road from Cherthala to Oachira. In 2010, the Centre had announced that the bypass project would be completed as a special project. The Centre had also given in principal approval for completing the four-lane bypass project worth Rs 157 crore.

On April 10, 2015, the then Union transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the long-pending construction works of the Alappuzha bypass from Kommadi to Kalarkode.

The bypass was originally set to be completed in September 2017. However, delay in fund allocation and public protest delayed the construction works.

The deadline was initially extended to May 28, 2018, and further to August 31, 2018, following the delay from the part of railways for its approval for constructing the ROBs.

Though the PWD(NH) wing has informed that the bypass can be opened for traffic by November this year, as per the present condition, the bypass could be opened for traffic only by January 2020.

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