Kerala govt agrees to revised terms on NH-774 Highway Project

Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari announced that the Kerala Government has agreed to shoulder 25% of the land acquisition costs for the NH-774 greenfield highway, connecting Kollam in Kerala to Madurai in Tamil Nadu. This is a departure from the initial agreement of 50%, and Kerala has also waived the state GST of 9% for this purpose. In response to a query from RSP member N K Premachandran, Gadkari stated that the Chief Minister of Kerala has accepted the proposal, pending a formal response from the state government. Emphasising the need for cooperation from state governments, Gadkari highlighted their essential role in granting permissions for activities like mining. When asked about the scenario where the state government declines to contribute its share, Gadkari affirmed that the Chief Minister has agreed to the proposal, and they are awaiting an official reply from Kerala. He expressed optimism about completing the Chennai-Bengaluru greenfield expressway by December of the current year. Addressing the Lok Sabha, Gadkari urged the governments of Tamil Nadu and Kerala to assist the National Highway Authority of India in securing construction materials like aggregates and fly ash for their respective projects. He assured the House of their commitment to finishing the highway by December, enabling a two-hour travel time between Chennai and Bengaluru. Additionally, Gadkari mentioned that he had discussed the challenges faced by the NHAI in highway construction with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin.