After 61-day protest, Kasaragod Collector backs NH 66 flyover, demolition of two-lane bridge in Nileshwar

Kasaragod: After 61 days of continuous public protest, the Kasaragod district administration has recommended the construction of a 450-metre flyover on pillars at the congested Nileshwar market junction, backing a key demand raised by residents against the present National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) design.

District Collector Arjun Pandian submitted an urgent report to the state government based on the findings of an expert committee constituted to study the issue. 

The controversy centres around the widening of National Highway 66. Hyderabad-based Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Limited (MEIL) is executing the 37-km Chengala-Nileshwar stretch and the 40-km Nileshwar-Taliparamba stretch of the project. Two months ago, a people’s protest committee launched an indefinite agitation demanding changes to the highway design at Nileshwar.

One of the major concerns raised by residents was the NHAI’s decision to retain the two-lane bridge built in 1958 across the Nileshwar river while constructing only a new three-lane bridge alongside it, effectively reducing the six-lane carriageway to five lanes as traffic enters the already congested Nileshwar town.

Protesters said the narrowing of lanes would create a permanent bottleneck at the entrance of the expanding town and the hill panchayats in the east. 

​Apart from the five-lane bridge, the NHAI proposal also includes an elevated reinforced soil embankment carrying three lanes from the Kannur side towards Kasaragod, while the remaining two lanes would continue at the existing road level. 

Residents argue that the massive embankment would physically split the town and choke movement at one of the busiest junctions in Kasaragod district.

They point out that the southwestern side of the town houses three fishing harbours, tourism destinations, and the Kottapuram boat terminal, while the northeastern side contains the municipal office, railway station, taluk hospital, bus stand, commercial streets and roads leading to the hill panchayats.

The elevated embankment structure would severely restrict movement along the Nileshwar-Kottapuram Road and worsen traffic congestion at the market junction, which functions as the main gateway to the town. In contrast, a flyover on pillars would allow uninterrupted movement underneath while also creating space for taxi stands, autorickshaw parking and commercial activity below the structure, they argued.

Following weeks of agitation, Collector Arjun Pandian and NHAI officials inspected the site. However, NHAI authorities maintained that constructing a flyover at this stage would be difficult since earthwork for the embankment had started. Despite this, the Collector-appointed expert committee strongly recommended a flyover on pillars from the Nileshwar Police Station area to the bridge across the river, allowing traffic from Kottapuram side to pass underneath. The committee also recommended demolition of the 68-year-old river bridge and construction of a new three-lane bridge in its place.

The district administration has forwarded the expert committee report with its approval to government, while the Collector, pointing out the approach of the monsoon, has sought urgent government intervention, citing public safety concerns and worsening traffic conditions.

People’s protest committee leader Sreenath Sasi said the flyover proposed by the Collector would run for around 450 metres, stretching from the bridge area to near the police station on the southern side. However, he argued that the flyover should ideally begin from Nedungandam near Nalanda Resorts on the northern side of the river and extend till Manthampuram near the Agricultural Research Station towards Kannur.

“Even if the flyover is merged with the river bridge as now proposed, it should at least start from Manthampuram, around 200 metres ahead of the police station point now suggested,” Sasi said.

He pointed out that Manthampuram connects directly to the Nileshwar Police Station, Taluk Hospital and the hill panchayats in the eastern region, and many commuters already use the route to bypass the town.

“An underpass at Manthampuram would significantly reduce traffic entering Nileshwar town,” he added.