Nagercoil: The highly anticipated Karode-Kanyakumari four-lane highway is on track to be opened for traffic by the end of this year, with nearly 82 per cent of the construction work now complete. According to National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officials, vehicular movement has already begun on several newly laid stretches, including the Thottiyodu section near Villukuri. The mega project spans 54 kilometres from Karode to Kanyakumari, promising to significantly reduce travel times in the region.

The remaining civil works are currently focused on key structures, including a 500-metre-long flyover over the Putheri pond, a 700-metre bridge at Thottiyodu near Villukuri, and a bypass stretch near Eraniel. Authorities expect one side of the Putheri pond flyover to be completed within two months, while the second phase is slated for completion by December. The Thottiyodu flyover is also progressing on a similar timeline, while construction on the Palliyadi railway overbridge has already been completed.

Boost for regional connectivity
As part of the wider network enhancement, two crucial roads are being developed from Nagercoil to Kanyakumari and Kavalkinar. The four-lane road up to Kavalkinar is already fully operational, with Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) buses running end-to-end services between Tirunelveli and Nagercoil via this newly built route.

The progress of this ₹1041 crore infrastructure project was recently reviewed during a site inspection by District Collector M Prathap. The Collector urged department officials to expedite the remaining works to ensure the entire highway is ready for traffic by late December. NHAI Project Director Sachin Kumar and other senior officials accompanied the Collector during the evaluation.