Kerala is moving closer to its goal of becoming a railway level crossing-free state, Public Works and Tourism Minister PA Mohamed Riyas recently said, even as the Centre flagged significant delays in overbridge projects, attributing them to issues on the State’s side.

The Minister, who inaugurated the construction of the Pavangad railway overbridge, said the government had reduced the number of level crossings and completed the highest number of overbridge projects during the 2021–26 period. Ten projects, including the Nilambur underpass, were completed during this tenure, while 27 railway overbridges are currently under construction.

Under the “Level Crossing-Free Kerala” project, the State government has decided to construct 99 overbridges — 72 through KIIFB and 27 through the Roads and Bridges Development Corporation of Kerala Limited (RBDCK). Additionally, 37 overbridges are to be constructed with 100 per cent Central funding through KRDCL, taking the total number of upcoming overbridges in the state to 140, according to the Minister.

However, the Centre has flagged delays in several overbridge projects in Kerala.

In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on February 9, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said construction of 106 road overbridges meant to replace level crossings in the state had been delayed due to issues attributable to the State government.

He said the delays were caused by land acquisition hurdles, finalisation of alignments, protests and court cases, and pending contractor appointments. Of the delayed projects, 38 were held up due to land acquisition, 63 due to alignment finalisation by the State government, two due to protests or court cases, and three because the executing agency had not been finalised.

As of January 2026, a total of 139 road overbridges or subways across railway tracks had been sanctioned in Kerala at an estimated cost of ₹4,932 crore, and were at various stages of planning and execution. Of these, 107 projects worth around ₹4,000 crore are being implemented on a cost-sharing basis with the State government, while 32 projects worth ₹876 crore are being executed by the Railways.