More underpasses sought in densely populated areas in Edappally-Muthakunnam NH 66 corridor

Residents, traders, and others at many places along the 22-km Edappally-Muthakunnam NH 66 corridor are on the warpath yet again, demanding more underpasses on the densely-populated stretch where the highway is being widened to six-lane.

Spearheading the demand for more underpasses and the need to adhere to the Indian Roads Congress (IRC) norms to ensure the safety of both motorists and road users, the Kottuvally grama panchayat has embarked on an agitation. A relay ‘satyagraha’ has begun near the Koonammavu Market as part of the agitation.

There are a few other places in Kerala where a dozen educational institutions are located within a 250-metre NH stretch, said Justin Elanjikal, who is among the residents of the area. “The extremely narrow service roads make matters worse. A sole underpass that is located a little away cannot cater for tens of hundreds of vehicles and pedestrians crossing over to the other side of NH 66,” he added.

This many educational institutions located within a limited stretch is apart from tuition centres, innumerable places of worship, hospitals, banks, shops, a market, container yards, godowns, and an Akshaya centre that are located on either side of the highway. The influx of vehicles into the highway will increase when Chemmayam bridge, for which ₹19 crore was allotted, is built. In this situation, it would be tough for vehicles and pedestrians in the densely populated area to simultaneously use the narrow 5.70-m wide service road and a sole narrow underpass with inadequate vertical clearance. Heavy vehicles and container lorries would not be able to pass through the service roads and the underpass. The net result would be that they would all converge at Chithira Junction, a little distance away, causing perennial traffic snarls. This would in turn impede the safe and steady flow of vehicles through NH 66, said the Biju Pazhampilly, the Convenor of the Samara Samiti.

The Samiti has also taken exception to retention walls of the NH being located at a height of up to 22 feet, blocking free flow of air. This and the potential congestion could have been avoided if an elevated NH had been built through the area, considering the location of this many educational and other institutions. Traders too would be affected in due course of time. All this is apart from the danger due to the probability of houses and other buildings on either side getting flooded during rain, due to ‘non-adherence’ with IRC norms, say the agitators.

Parishes from the region had held agitations, demanding a new pair of underpasses at Pallikadavu Road and at Chemmayam Road.

The NHAI had in August 2024 set June 2025 as the deadline to complete the six-laning of the Edapally-Muthakunnam NH 66 corridor. Sources in the agency said that they have built or were in the process of constructing adequate number of vehicle and pedestrian underpasses on the stretch, based on traffic requirements.