Thiruvananthapuram: After months of stalled construction and mounting traffic woes, work on the long-delayed Enchakkal flyover is finally set to resume within a week, with contractor Cherian Varkey Construction Company agreeing to mobilise its workforce and restart the project following a fresh round of talks with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). The contractor had stopped the work over a demand for around Rs 20 crore towards additional works necessitated by the revised design of the flyover approaches.The project had remained stalled for several months after changes were made to the design of the approach roads. The revised design envisages additional structural support, including pillars on both sides of the approaches, instead of the retaining-wall arrangement originally proposed.NHAI had not agreed to the contractor’s demand for the additional amount, leading to a stalemate over the continuation of the work. The issue of additional work and its financial implications will now be taken up in further discussions between the contractor and the authority.“Discussions are under way with the contractor to ensure that the work is resumed at the earliest. The additional works arising from the revised design and the associated cost will be discussed in the coming meetings,” an NHAI official said.The contractor’s decision to restart work is significant as the flyover has been witnessing prolonged delays, causing difficulties for motorists and residents using the Enchakkal-Vetturoad corridor. NHAI has also stressed the need to complete the flyover and related works at the earliest to ease congestion on the NH-66 corridor.The revised design was introduced after the approach arrangement was reviewed, with the new plan involving additional supporting pillars. NHAI had earlier approved the revised design, paving the way for construction to move forward.The way the additional Rs 20 crore requirement will be accommodated, the revised execution schedule and the target for completion are expected to be finalised through discussions between NHAI and the contractor in the coming days.
