Less than a month after the Kerala Government finally signed the state support agreement for four-laning the two major national highways in the state, the state PWD is set to revive a Rs 10,000-crore mega expressway project connecting the northern and southern tips of the state.The 520-km expressway connecting Thiruvananthapuram with Kasargode will cut down travel time from the 12 hours at present to just over five hours. Incidentally, the expressway— the biggest-ever infrastructure project in the state— was initially proposed by the previous A K Antony Government, but had run into stiff opposition from the LDF which was then in the Opposition."We are trying to revive the North-South expressway project and trying to build a consensus to sort out all issues of concern. The project will mean a lot for the state as it will cut down travel time and give a boost to the economy. Various financial models like Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT), annuity, institutional funding through international agencies, like the World Bank, are being considered. We are looking at a timeframe of five to six years to plan, construct and operationalise the project," Kerala PWD Minister Mons Joseph told The Indian Express.The minister was in New Delhi for an even more surprising appointment. He met the Union Minister of Shipping, Road Transport & Highways T R Baalu to get more of the state's national highway stretches expanded. While earlier attempts by the minister to persuade Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan and even interventions by the PM failed to make the LDF Government agree to a toll-based expansion of its national highways, the state has now approached Baalu's office with a wishlist."We have asked the Union Minister to also help expand NH 220 connecting the Periyar Tiger Reserve besides upgradation of roads to the famous pilgrim centre at Sabarimala. Under NHDP VII we have requested that decongestion plans for Kochi also be covered along with four-laning of the NH 213 between Palakkad and Kozhikode," Joseph said.Baalu promptly agreed to expedite four-laning on NH 47 & 17, institute a feasibility study for NH 213, include NH 220 and NH 49 in NHDP IV and also allow decongestion measures for Kochi. The minister has also assured to look into improving roads to the Nedumbassery airport and the Vallarpadam container terminal.Joseph explained his Government's sudden turnaround on the larger perspective of public interest. "We have just signed the state support agreement for expansion of NH 17 and NH 47 with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). Once these two highways are four-laned people will be able to understand why it is important for the state's development. The Government's initial stand was against toll-based project as it will burden the common man, but it is not a bad idea keeping in mind long-term benefits, besides in a tourism dependent state like ours, good connectivity is crucial. Hence, the decision was taken in the larger public interest," he said. The change of stance also has much to do with the Centre's final threat to the state. After having failed to dissuade the LDF Government from its anti-toll stand, it had warned that Kerala would lose out on infrastructure development while other states, including Left-ruled West Bengal, would sprint ahead if they did not agree to the model. Kerala has just 33.6 km of four-lane highways. Of the 1523 km of highways in the state, just 411 km are two-lane.
