No plans to go ahead with greenfield NH projects, says Centre

Casting a shadow on the proposed Thiruvananthapuram-Angamaly greenfield highway project, the Centre has made it clear that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has no plans to go ahead with the project for the time being.

Replying to a question on the status of the proposed greenfield highways between Angamaly and Thiruvananthapuram and between Kochi and Dhanushkodi, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said at present there was no proposal for the development of the greenfield alignments between Angamaly and Thiruvananthapuram and between Kochi, Munnar, and Dhanushkodi.

Earlier, the NHAI had informed the State that instead of the proposed greenfield project, the NHAI would explore the possibility of holding a techno-economical and social feasibility study for a high-speed corridor along the route. Officials exuded confidence that the new project would not be affected by the Ministry’s decision.

A detailed project report (DPR) was prepared for the greenfield project, which now stands cancelled with the Central decision to drop the project.

The project conceived parallel to MC Road was expected to decongest it with the access-controlled highway running parallel to the road from Pulimath, near Kilimanoor in Thiruvananthapuram, and cutting through six districts.