Centre approves projects worth Rs 2,039 crore for Kerala: Minister Basheer

Thiruvananthapuram, Jul 9 (PTI) Kerala PWD Minister P K Basheer has announced that the Centre has approved projects worth Rs 2,039 crore for the state following his first meeting with Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari in New Delhi. In a Facebook post, Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Basheer said the approved projects include the construction of a bridge across the Kabani River, connecting Perikkallur in Wayanad district with Bairakuppe in Karnataka, at a cost of Rs 49 crore. The central government has also approved Rs 98.40 crore for works on National Highway 744, Rs 172 crore for National Highway 966 from Ramanattukara to Chandranagar in Palakkad, and Rs 66 crore for the old National Highway 66 stretch from Kazhakkoottam to Balaramapuram, he said. According to the minister, the Centre has also sanctioned Rs 1,663 crore for the four-laning of the Kadavoor-Aanjilimoodu stretch of the Kollam-Theni National Highway. Basheer said the Union minister also gave in-principle approval for ropeway projects at Sabarimala, Munnar and Wayanad. He said approval for the proposal to widen National Highway 185 from Adimali to Kumily would be granted shortly, while revised alignments for the proposed Kothamangalam and Muvattupuzha bypasses would also receive early clearance. The minister further said Gadkari directed National Highways Authority officials to prepare and submit the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the proposed elevated highway from Ramanattukara to Kozhikode airport. PTI TBA ROH