Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden has urged the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to resume work on the detailed project report (DPR) for the proposed Edappally Vyttila Aroor elevated highway.
Eden met NHAI Chairman Santosh Kumar Yadav and sought his intervention to restart the process for the proposed elevated corridor along the 16-km Edappally–Vyttila–Aroor NH 66 bypass.
In a letter to the NHAI Chairman, the MP called for the preparation of the project’s alignment, design, cost estimates and implementation strategy on a priority basis.
Elevated highway proposed to address traffic bottleneck
Eden said the existing four-lane bypass could become a traffic bottleneck when the remaining sections of NH 66 are widened to six lanes.
He argued that the proposed elevated highway would help address this concern and serve the wider public interest of Kochi and Kerala.
The MP said the project carries significance beyond the city, given the volume of traffic originating from, heading towards or connecting with Kochi.
Kochi Outer Ring Road cannot replace bypass project
The request comes as NHAI has prioritised the proposed 50-km Kochi Outer Ring Road (ORR) over the elevated highway.
However, Eden said the two projects would serve different purposes and should be treated as complementary infrastructure developments.
“The ORR cannot replace the Edappally–Vyttila–Aroor NH 66 bypass that carries substantial traffic originating from, destined for, or connecting Kochi city,” the letter stated.
The MP added that both projects could serve complementary rather than substitutive functions.
He has called on NHAI to take up the DPR work on priority, enabling the authority to assess the elevated corridor’s alignment, design, cost and implementation requirements.
