The Hindu Business Line : Plan for coastal highway to link Vallarpadam with Moothakunnam

AS Kochi prepares itself to witness a host of infrastructure developmental activities, including the Vallarpadam Container Terminal, the district administration has mooted a proposal to construct a 30-km long coastal highway in Vypeen linking Vallarpadam to Moothakunnam.

The proposal is to construct a four-lane highway from Vypeen where Goshree Bridges meet and the proposed coastal highway would make connectivity to NH-17 at Moothakunnamm. As per the preliminary study conducted by PWD, the new alignment, to be constructed with central assistance, is expected to cost around Rs 90 crore.

The highway, starting from Kalamukku Junction in Vypeen where the Vallarpadam-Vypeen Bridge ends, will reach Moothakunnam via Cherai, Pallippuram and Munambam. With the proposed Munambam port in the offing, the scheme could come under the port connectivity scheme of the Central Government, officials said.

The highway, which passes along the coastal stretch, would become a major escape route for vehicles coming to Vallarpadam after the completion of the container terminal project and the LNG terminal at Puthuvypeen, thereby reducing heavy traffic in the NH-17 and NH-47.

As the city is going to witness an intense economic activity in view of various upcoming projects, it will be prudent to make good the prevailing deficient infrastructural amenities so that they are commensurate with the scale of investments that is going to come about.

The investments being envisaged in Puthuvypeen-Vallarpadam belt is to the tune of Rs 5,000 crore to Rs 7,500 crore. Considering the fact that this area would soon turn out to be a major destination point of massive investments, it is of paramount importance that a four-lane road with good shoulders and drains is constructed giving direct connectivity to NH-17 to route the traffic going north of Kerala and facilitate a commensurate infrastructural development.

With the commissioning of the container terminal project, a massive surge in container traffic is expected. The present day roads would not be able to cater to widening the existing Vypeen-Pallipuram road to make it a four-lane road. It would not only entail high cost land acquisitions but also lead to massive displacement of people living alongside the road.

However, in the proposed coastal highway project, the displacement of people will be minimal as the alignment would be mainly through wetlands and the land to be acquired is about 150 acres.

Regarding the advantages of the proposed highway, the report cited that container traffic from the Vallarpadam terminal towards northern side of the State would get direct connectivity to NH-17 at Kodungalloor. This would provide much relief to the already burdened highways in Ernakulam mainland.

The mid location of the highway would also facilitate an overall economic development of the backward areas of the islands. As most of the islanders live on the eastern half, this alignment would mean less commuting distance to Kochi mainland through the new highway than the earlier proposal.

The project could be considered for inclusion in the Critical Infrastructural Projects to be taken up along with the construction of the Vallarpadam project.