Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday inaugurated two flyovers along the national highway bypass at Kundannoor and Vyttila which are expected to bring huge relief to motorists in Kerala's commercial capital, Kochi.
The chief minister opened the two flyovers in two separate virtually organised functions.
The Vyttila and the Kundannoor flyovers, expected to decongest huge traffic in the city and significantly cut travel time through National Highway bypass, were built at a cost of over Rs 152 crore using funds from the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB), officials said.
The completion of the two flyovers during the LDF government's regime assumes political significance as the state is set to go to the polls in a few months.
Officials said the total estimated amount for constructing the structures was more than Rs 165 core but the projects could be completed by spending a lesser amount.
Inaugurating the structures via online, Vijayan said the construction of flyovers could be completed only because of the government's determination.
The projects were successfully completed by overcoming multiple crises due to floods in consecutive years, natural disasters like 'Okhi' and outbreak of diseases like Nipah and COVID-19 pandemic.
The construction of Vyttila flyover was inaugurated by the chief minister on December 11, 2017.
Although the government had given Rs 85.90 crore technical sanction for constructing the structure, it was completed at a cost of Rs 78.36 crores.
Similarly, the Kundannoor flyover was constructed spending Rs 74.45 crore.
The government had given Rs 82.74 crore technical sanction for building the structure.
The flyovers were constructed under the supervision of state PWD department and National Highway authorities.
Addressing the function, the chief minister lashed out at the people who allegedly tried to open the flyovers, allowing traffic through them a few days ago, saying their intention was to create trouble in society for gaining cheap publicity. Police had arrested some activists of an outfit called V4Kochi in connection with the incident.
State PWD Minister G Sudhakaran, MLAs, MP Hibi Eden and representatives of local bodies attended the two separate functions organised on the spots of inauguration.
The chief minister and state finance minister T M Thomas Isaac joined them online.
