KSTP officials, MLA review progress of work

The Kerala State Transport Project (KSTP) will be completing the work on the much sought-after bypass project at Thiruvalla before May 31, according to Project Director M.G. Rajamanikyam.

Mr. Rajamanikyam was talking to reporters after reviewing the progress of the work on Monday. Mathew T. Thomas, MLA, was present.

He said the work on the Mazhuvangaduchira-Mallapally Road reach would be completed in the first week of March.

The work on the viaduct had to be completed for opening the Ramanchira-Mallappally Road reach in the next four months, he said. Mr. Rajamanikyam said the KSTP would open the Thiruvalla Bypass for the public on May 31.

The work on the ₹33-crore bypass project was formally launched by former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy in December 2014, fixing October 2016 as the deadline for its completion. However, the project had got into legal wrangles over land acquisition. This, coupled with the abandoning of the work midway by the contractor two years ago, badly affected the project.

Design changed

The MLA said the KSTP had to change the design of the bypass on its northern end portion owing to certain technical flaws in the earlier plan.

Previously, the decision was to raise the bypass portion near Ramanchira to a height of 12 metres by filling it with earth. However, experts found that raising the road to such a height, without constructing strong protection walls on either side, would invite technical problems.

The KSTP expert team had revised the plan and designed a 220-metre flyover, estimated at ₹37.5 crore, for the northern end portion of the bypass that links the Thiruvalla-Mallappally Road with Ramanchira. The KSTP steering committee had re-tendered the work, after obtaining clearance from the World Bank, which is funding the MC Road development.

Mr. Thomas said the Thiruvalla Bypass was part of the major development work on the Chengannur-Ettumanur stretch of the MC Road under KSTP. The bypass, once completed, would ease the traffic congestion in the town to a great extent, he said.

M.C. Sushama, KSTP Executive Engineer; Cherian Polachirackal, municipal chairman; Shaji Thiruvalla, councillor; and C.B. Subhash, Assistant Executive Engineer, were present.