Thiruvananthapuram: Construction works under the long-pending Vattiyoorkavu junction and road development project will begin on Monday, with health minister and local MLA K Muraleedharan scheduled to inaugurate the work near Supplyco on Maruthamkuzhi-Kanjirampara Road at 10am. The project, which has faced delays related to land acquisition, rehabilitation and shifting of utilities, is now moving into the main construction phase. Kerala Road Fund Board (KRFB), which oversees the project through its project management unit, has completed various preparatory activities, including alignment and level surveys, ahead of the commencement of civil works. Muraleedharan held a review meeting with KRFB officials on Sunday and directed them to commence the work without further delay and ensure that the project is completed within the stipulated time frame. He said the junction development would be taken up on a priority basis and completed at the earliest. As the work involves widening busy stretches through densely developed areas, construction on either side of the road will be carried out in phases to minimise disruption to traffic. Officials are also expected to coordinate the civil works with utility-shifting activities so that road construction is not held up at later stages. The construction contract has been awarded to Uralungal Labour Contract Co-operative Society (ULCCS). The project includes construction of drains on both sides of the acquired road stretch, retaining walls and culverts wherever required, besides shifting and relocating Kerala Water Authority (KWA) pipelines and Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) electrical infrastructure. The project has been allocated Rs 73.61 crore for the works covered in the current phase. Of this, Rs 6.46 crore has been earmarked for shifting KSEB lines and Rs 6.93 crore for KWA-related works. KSEB has also initiated utility-shifting works along Maruthamkuzhi-Mannarakonam and Mannarakonam-Vattiyoorkavu stretches ahead of road widening. The first phase covers 7.215km of roads, including Sasthamangalam-Mannarakonam, Thoppumukku-Vattiyoorkavu and Mannarakonam-Peroorkada stretches, besides a 120m portion of Mannarakonam-Vazhayila Road and development of Mannarakonam Junction. The existing roads, which have widths ranging from 7m to 10m, will be upgraded to a standard width of 18.5m. The broader project envisages improved connectivity along the eastern corridor linking Sasthamangalam, Vattiyoorkavu, Mannarakonam, Peroorkada and Vazhayila. The overall road development plan covers about 10.75km.
