Kochi outer ring road project begins to take shape, NHAI to prepare DPR | Kochi News

Kochi: The long-pending demand for an outer ring road for Kochi metropolitan area is finally taking shape, offering much-needed relief from the choking density of vehicles and worsening traffic congestion. National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) formally initiated the process for a new greenfield highway project connecting Kodungallur on National Highway 66 with Angamaly on NH 544.Last month, ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH) entrusted NHAI with preparing a detailed project report (DPR) for a new highway connecting Kodungallur on NH 66 with Angamaly on NH 544. According to NHAI authorities, the proposed 20km corridor will be developed as a greenfield highway. The new stretch is designed as an extension of the upcoming 44.7km Kundannoor-Angamaly Kochi bypass.With the bypass being extended further north from Angamaly to Kodungallur, the new road will form a semi-circular outer ring road around Kochi. Planners and experts believe that the project would also spur significant growth and urban expansion across the larger Kochi urban agglomeration. In 2006, Greater Cochin Development Authority proposed a 64-km outer ring road to decongest the entire Kochi city. The much-needed road corridor still remains a non-starter even after 19 years. Besides several towns in northern regions, including North Paravur and Puthenvelikkara, the greenfield highway is expected to bring major development to Angamaly region. “An outer ring road is essential for Kochi, as the city cannot expand towards the west due to its coastal geography. The connectivity between Kodungallur and Kundannoor through a ring road has immense potential. NHAI’s move is farsighted as the project can serve as a highly effective corridor for a city struggling with traffic congestion caused by malls and shopping hubs. Just as Container Terminal Road once eased bottlenecks in Kochi, this outer ring road will help decongest the city while also opening up opportunities for large-scale real estate development in the eastern parts of the district,” said road safety expert Upendra Narayanan.Presently, NHAI is planning Kundannoor-Angamaly bypass as a six-lane highway. According to MoRTH’s preliminary plan, Angamaly-Kodungallur stretch would be a four-lane highway. This triggered demands that both stretches be developed as six-lane roads.“NHAI should take proper steps to integrate the two road projects. Both can be treated as separate projects. There needs to be clarity on the design of flyovers at Angamaly and Kundannoor, where the two stretches intersect,” said Arjun Prakash of Kochi Next Forum, a social collective.