Thiruvananthapuram: Construction of the proposed Sreekaryam flyover has hit a major roadblock. Uncertainty over relocating the Sree Narayana Guru statue at Sreekaryam junction, along with slow utility-shifting works by the Kerala Water Authority (KWA), has delayed the start of piling for the main structure.Land for relocating the statue has already been identified, but the district administration is yet to shift it. The statue currently stands within the project’s alignment. . This has become a key obstacle to completing the remaining utility works and preparing the site for piling.The second hurdle involves the laying and shifting of water pipelines by KWA. These works are part of the flyover project, while additional pipeline and sewerage works in the area are being carried out separately under the Amrut scheme. The continuing works have prevented Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL), the project’s executing agency, from securing a clear work front. The statue stands on the proposed service road; one side of this road is already complete.“Two hurdles remain before the contractor can start the main work. Once cleared, piling can begin. We expect main piling to start within about three months if there are no further impediments. We had earlier approached the district administration to relocate the statue, but nothing has happened so far,” said a senior KMRL official.The flyover is a Rs 177-crore project considered a crucial preparatory component for the proposed Thiruvananthapuram Metro Rail project. The 535-metre, four-lane flyover will have 17 spans and service roads on either side, and has been designed to accommodate Metro pillars along the median in future.District collector Anu Kumari said the issue would be resolved soon. “Space had been identified, but the water authority carried out construction there without permission, so we now need another piece of land. A meeting has already been convened, and alternate options are being explored,” she told TOI.The delay is significant given that the project has been under implementation for nearly one-and-a-half years, yet the main structure has not entered the piling stage. Considerable preparatory work, including drainage and utility works, has been completed, but the lack of an uninterrupted work front has kept the contractor from the core structural phase.Earlier reports had highlighted a standoff between KMRL and KWA over the pipeline work. While KWA cited obstructions including the Guru statue and a transformer, KMRL sought early handover of the pipeline stretches to allow road works and piling to proceed.
