Kerala to spend Rs 10,710 cr for road development

For development of road network and infrastructure in the state, the Kerala government has earmarked Rs 10,710 crore for a plan to be implemented in the next three years, said the Minister for Public Works VK Ebrabim Kunju.

The plan includes road improvement projects in seven cities at an investment of Rs 3,500 crore, State road improvement project costing Rs 4,000 crore and Kerala State Transport Project (KSTP) phase II at Rs 750 crore, he added.

The Minister told a business newspaper that the objective is to avoid toll collections from the newly developed roads as the government is facing stiff opposition from the public over toll.

Kunju added that land acquisition for widening of roads is a problem, which is hindering road development. There are also plans to evolve a new route for infrastructure development by involving people in projects under a new concept of public private people’s participation (PPPP).

The government is looking forward to people’s participation through local self-government institutions, he said, adding that this concept was mooted at the recently held Emerging Kerala Investors meet. He said the government is planning to take back 800 km of road entrusted to NHAI for development.

This will be developed by the State on international standards and there will not be any toll collections. Understanding the need and importance of a world-class road network, he said the Government had announced in the last budget a road network development programme aimed at developing state of the art road network.