In a significant development for Kerala's infrastructure, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has agreed to a crucial design change for new overpasses in the state. Responding to persistent public demand and safety concerns, the minister has approved the construction of elevated overpasses on pillars instead of using reinforced earth (RE) walls along national highways.
Public Pressure Yields Results
The decision comes after direct intervention by BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who highlighted the widespread inconvenience and serious security issues caused by the RE wall design. Chandrasekhar confirmed the breakthrough on Wednesday, stating that two rounds of discussions with Gadkari had finally yielded the desired result. The new pillar-based design will be implemented even though it is a more costly option compared to the RE wall method.
"We kept our promise," said Chandrasekhar, referring to his commitment to residents of Ochira and other affected areas. He had earlier pledged to take up their demand for pillar-based constructions after multiple incidents where retaining walls collapsed at under-construction National Highway stretches, raising alarm bells.
Failure of Local Consultation Process
Chandrasekhar pointed out a critical lapse in the planning process. He revealed that while the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) did hold discussions with local Members of Parliament and Legislative Assembly before finalising road designs, these representatives failed to effectively convince the authority of the necessity for pillar-based highways. This gap left citizens grappling with problematic infrastructure until the issue was escalated to the Union Minister.
Thiruvananthapuram Ring Road Gets Green Light
In another major announcement, Chandrasekhar shared that Gadkari confirmed the much-awaited outer ring road project for Thiruvananthapuram. The final approval for the ring road is expected by February or March of this year. Furthermore, the minister assured that all landowners whose property was acquired for the project would receive due compensation, addressing a long-standing concern associated with land acquisition for public works.
This policy shift marks a victory for citizen advocacy in infrastructure planning, ensuring that safety and public convenience are prioritised in Kerala's highway expansion projects.
