The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will construct a 400-metre-long viaduct to replace the collapsed 276-metre elevated stretch of National Highway-66 at Kooriyad near Tirurangadi in Malappuram, Kerala. NHAI regional officer Babu Lal Meena confirmed that the bridge will connect two underpasses and serve as an integrated structure, citing it as the only viable solution after the soil failed to support the original embankment.

Construction will be undertaken by contractor KNRCL, which has committed to completing the project within four months. However, ongoing heavy rainfall may slow progress. An independent technical committee that investigated the May 21 collapse found water seepage and insufficient soil assessment as primary reasons.

The viaduct, expected to cost nearly four times more than a traditional embankment, has been deemed necessary despite the cost. Experts noted that embankments had been commonly used in the region to minimise expenditure, but this incident signals a critical review of engineering standards.

Source:The Hindu