NH project in Kerala records 15 collapses so far; entire stretch to be repaired by 2026

New Delhi/Thiruvananthapuram: At least 15 incidents of cracks, collapses, or other mishaps have happened during the ongoing National Highway (NH) construction works in Kerala, according to data presented by the Union Ministry for Road Transport and Highways. Minister Nitin Gadkari provided the details in a written reply to Kerala MP K C Venugopal in the Lok Sabha on Thursday. 

In another reply furnished in the parliament, the ministry added that the entire stretch of NH-66 in Kerala is scheduled for completion by May 2026.

The first incident listed in the Parliament response was the soil nailing collapse along the Chengala-Neeleswaram section in Kasaragod, where multiple cracks appeared on both the main carriageway and service roads. Following this, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) issued a show-cause notice to the contractor, Megha Engineering & Infrastructure Ltd., initiating debarment for up to one year or until the completion of rectification work, whichever is later. A penalty of 5 per cent of the current value of the failed work or 0.5 per cent of the total contract value—whichever is higher—was also imposed. The company was temporarily suspended from participating in current or future NHAI bids for a month or until it submitted a detailed plan for remedial measures.

Another collapse was reported at the Azhiyur-Vengalam stretch in Kozhikode, where soil nailing work failed. The contractor, Azhiyur-Vengalam Road Pvt. Ltd., was issued a notice for debarment up to one year and a penalty ranging from ₹50 lakh to ₹5 crore. The concessionaire was directed to carry out all rectification measures at their own cost. The Independent Engineer (IE) of the project also received a show-cause notice for debarment for up to one year and a penalty of ₹20 lakh.

In Kozhikode, cracks were observed near the approach to Paloli Moorad bridge; temporary rectification has been completed there. Similar crack repairs were carried out at Thalapara in Malappuram and Chavakkad in Thrissur, both of which affected the main carriageway. 

A significant incident happened on May 19 when a retaining wall collapsed at Kooriyad in Malappuram, along the Ramanattukara-Valanchery Bypass Junction. The collapse, which drew considerable media attention, led to a near-miss for two cars travelling on the service road. The contractor, KNR Constructions Ltd., and its promoter were served a debarment notice and a financial penalty similar to the one in Kasaragod. The Independent Engineer associated with the project was also penalised and temporarily barred from NHAI projects for a month or until the conclusion of an expert committee's investigation. Both the contractor and the IE have approached the Delhi High Court challenging the disciplinary action. Meanwhile, the NHAI Project Director was suspended, and the site engineer's services were terminated.

At Kooriyd, a new viaduct, costing approximately ₹80 crore, has been proposed by the concessionaire at their own expense. The project is expected to be completed by February 2026. 

On the Thuravoor-Paravoor stretch in Ernakulam, a girder spanning two pillars collapsed. The contractor was penalised ₹15.4 lakh, and both the contractor and the consultant’s representative were suspended. Between Kollam Bypass and Kadambattukonam, a scaffolding structure at a minor under-construction bridge was destroyed, prompting the authorities to levy a penalty of ₹9.55 lakh on the contractor, who also removed the responsible engineer from duty.

In another incident in Kasaragod, a 15-metre stretch of the service road at Mavungal in Kanhangad was washed away. Authorities restored connectivity by linking a temporary drain to the box culvert and reopening the road for traffic. Cracks were also reported in another section of the service road in Kanhangad, where temporary slope protection measures were implemented. The Ministry stated that retaining wall and drainage works in this area would resume after the monsoon. The crust layers were removed down to the embankment top, and relaying work is currently underway.

In the area within 20 km of that location, longitudinal cracks were reported again, prompting the authorities to plan a similar removal and relaying of the crust layers.

In Kollam, settlement issues were found at the Neeravil vehicular underpass, which has now been dismantled for reconstruction. A cavity was reported on the approach to a viaduct, which has been temporarily restored.

Restoration is ongoing at Alathur Swathy Junction in Palakkad, where the main carriageway has settled. Temporary measures are also in place to retain embankments near the Kayamkulam bridge in Alappuzha and the Chavara bridge in Kollam.

The Ministry informed Parliament that an expert committee has been constituted to assess potential vulnerabilities across 17 ongoing NH-66 projects in Kerala. Between June 11 and July 14, the committee surveyed the entire NH-66 stretch in the state to review slope and embankment protection methods and to recommend improvements. The committee’s final report is awaited. Currently, 21 contractors or subcontractors are involved in the construction of national highways across Kerala under NHAI.

Meanwhile, a day before the data was submitted in Parliament, a landslip occurred near the under-construction stretch at Veeramalakunnu, near Cheruvathoor in Kasaragod. In the incident, a woman driving through the area had a narrow escape when her car was caught near the affected zone.