While the construction of National Highway 66 in the state of Kerala is in full swing, there are serious lapses observed in the execution of the work. Expert study has revealed that the norms laid down by Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has not been followed in many of the stretches. It is also worth mentioning that Kerala receives heavy rainfall in the monsoon season. The heavy downpour will contribute to the deterioration of road very quickly unless construction work is carried out with utmost quality.
Many of the stretches receives above average rainfall in monsoon which causes the soil to lose its integrity leading to frequent landslides. Necessary construction techniques suitable for such soil should be employed in these stretches to prevent this from happening. However, recent collapse of the side walls in Kooriyad, Malappuram District tells a different story. A committee, lead by former chief scientist of Central Road Research Institute, New Delhi, Shri Kishor Kumar has been formed to evaluate the Kooriyad stretch as a result.
The committee has submitted that the collapse was due to the improper design of road. The soil is loose in the area and the vendor did not take this into account. Now, a bridge will be constructed in this section. There are also frequent landslides, cracks, collapse of embankment observed in various other stretches of NH 66.
This 600 KM road in Kerala is going to be a vital artery of Kerala’s transport network. Owing to the public outcry, NHAI is expected to implement stricter measures against the contract workers to ensure construction of proper quality roads in Kerala.
