Kerala Government Waives ₹741 Crore in GST Share and Royalty for Two NH Projects.

The Kerala government announced on Thursday that it will waive ₹741.35 crore in GST share and royalty fees for the Kollam-Sengottai Greenfield Highway (NH 744) and Ernakulam Bypass (NH 544) projects, responding to a request from the central government.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan revealed the decision through social media posts on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook. The waiver aims to expedite the completion of these key infrastructure projects. "The LDF Government has approved the waiver of ₹741.35 crore on royalty for raw materials and State GST for the Kollam-Sengottai Greenfield Highway (NH 744) and Ernakulam Bypass (NH 544) projects at the Centre's request," Vijayan stated.

The waiver is part of the state's effort to enhance road connectivity and infrastructure by reducing financial burdens associated with the projects. Vijayan also highlighted the state’s significant investment in national highway development, noting that Kerala has already spent ₹5,580.73 crore on land acquisition for NH 66.

He criticized the central government's withdrawal from bearing land acquisition costs in Kerala due to high land prices, which led the LDF government to cover 25 percent of the costs upfront for NH 66's development.

Vijayan reaffirmed the government's commitment to addressing the state's traffic issues by completing the national highway projects as swiftly as possible.

ET