Kanyakumari-Thiruvananthapuram road to be widened.

In a move that will provide much needed succour to tourists and residents alike, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will soon call for tenders for widening a 70-km stretch of the Kanyakumari-Thiruvananthapuram road up to Kaliyakavilai.

In fact, this road has not seen any development after Independence. 'It will easily take us three hours from Marthandam in Tamil Nadu to Thiruvananthapuram. Many residents in Kanyakumari and Nagercoil areas depend on the Trivandrum Medical College and Hospital and Regional Cancer Centre. In case of accidents patients are taken to that hospital. Even ambulances get stuck in traffic pile-ups daily.

Students always end up going late to schools and colleges,' said R. Valsalan resident of Kozhivila Parasala and Secretary, Kerala State Pradesh Congress.

If the road is developed it will also help attract more foreign tourists to Kanyakumari and to Kovalam beach in Thiruvananthapuram. Land acquisition for the project covering two roads – NH 47 (Kanyakumari to Thiruvananthapuram) and NH 47 B (Nagercoil to Kavalkinaru covering a distance of 16 kms) - is progressing well.

'Of the 26 villages, awards have been passed for 22 villages. The other remaining villages too will be taken up simultaneously.

The major problem we are facing is that owners refuse to part with their lands. We began the process in 2004 and has progressed extremely slowly due to continuous objections,' said a source in the NHAI.

Mr. Valsalan said work on a 40-km stretch of road on the Kerala side was proceeding well since people there were properly informed about the compensation.

Bringing relief to residents of Kaliyakavilai, Marthandam, Eraniyal, Villupuri, Suseendram, Kottaram, and Kanyakumari among other areas, the NHAI has planned to form most of the road as a bypass.

The project will be laid on an engineering, procurement, construction basis with funding by the Government of India. The road is likely to cost Rs. 1,200 crore.


THE HINDU