Thiruvananthapuram: The Union govt has granted in-principle approval to the detailed project report (DPR) for the proposed Vizhinjam–Navaikkulam Outer Ring Road (ORR) project, even as environmental clearance for the northern stretch (Thekkada to Navaikulam) remains pending with the environment ministry. Official sources said the statutory clearance is expected next month, which could enable authorities to float construction tenders by April. The DPR approval was disclosed in a reply tabled in Parliament by the Union ministry of road transport and highways recently. The ORR project, aimed at decongesting traffic in and around Thiruvananthapuram district while providing seamless connectivity to the Vizhinjam port, cannot proceed to the execution stage until it secures mandatory environmental clearance and formal sanction from the Centre. Although the DPR approval marks a significant administrative milestone, work can commence only after final statutory clearances are in place. Meanwhile, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the implementing agency, has completed a key survey for the latest design modifications, including the construction of tunnels through hill sections along the proposed alignment. The survey was conducted by a private agency engaged to carry out detailed geotechnical assessments. The decision to incorporate tunnels is understood to be part of efforts to minimise large-scale hill cutting and reduce environmental impact in ecologically sensitive stretches of the alignment. The survey findings will now be integrated into the revised engineering design. An NHAI official said the authority is preparing to move ahead once environmental clearance is obtained. “The DPR has already received approval from the Centre. We have completed the necessary survey works for the modified design, including tunnelling options through hill sections. The highway engineering department has been instructed to prepare tender documents incorporating these changes. If environmental clearance comes as expected next month, we are targeting April for floating the construction tender,” the official said. The official added that the authority has coordinated closely with state govt departments to ensure that preparatory processes are not delayed. All technical inputs required for tendering are being consolidated, and once statutory approvals are in place, the authority will be ready to proceed without further procedural delays. The proposed ORR will connect Vizhinjam to Navaikulam, linking key growth corridors and easing congestion on existing national highways passing through urban and semi-urban areas. It is also expected to facilitate logistics movement to and from the Vizhinjam International Seaport, positioned as a major transshipment hub on India’s southern coast.
