Tarring progressing on the elevated highway stretch in the Aroor-Thuravoor section
Kochi: The 12.75km Aroor-Thuravoor six-lane elevated highway, set to be the country’s longest single-pillar flyover, will miss its Dec deadline, with the completion date now pushed to March 2027. To prevent severe bottlenecking, authorities decided to add six additional spans (around 150 metres) to extend the elevated structure past the congested Thuravoor Junction up to the Thuravoor temple. NHAI plans to replicate this system across future toll points on the NH-66 corridor.
The remaining tasks include building the approach road on the Aroor side and completing three entry/exit ramps at Aroor, Eramalloor and Thuravoor,” a senior NHAI official said. Ninety-four per cent of the work has been completed, with National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) set to begin load testing on the elevated stretch next week. “The load testing will start next week as major works near finish line. The primary reason for the extended timeline is a late decision to modify the Thuravoor end of the project. Originally, the plans featured a solid wall and an abrupt exit ramp directly at the busy junction, which would have worsened traffic congestion. KCC Buildcon, the contractor handling the adjacent Thuravoor-Paravoor stretch, is carrying out this additional extension, which is expected to take three-four months. Adding to the project’s features, Keralam’s first multi-lane free-flow (MLFF) tolling system will be installed at Eramalloor. Unlike traditional toll plazas, the MLFF setup features no physical booths or barriers, allowing drivers to travel without stopping or slowing down. An overhead gantry will automatically scan and deduct the toll from the vehicle’s linked FASTag account. Officials noted that vehicles coming from the Kumbalam side will pay the Eramalloor toll even if they paid at Kumbalam, as the elevated corridor operates as a standalone high-speed facility.
IIT Palakkad has begun testing reinforced earth and reinforced soil walls along the under-construction NH-66. Part of the wider Rs 16,500 crore NH-66 expansion aimed at easing travel between Kochi and Alappuzha, the elevated corridor was originally scheduled for a Feb 2026 opening before several schedule revisions shifted the final deadline to early 2027. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Kochi | Silver Rate in Kochi | Bank Holidays in Kochi | Public Holidays in Kochi Stay updated with the latest Kochi news.
Safety checks are also under way across the state. The investigation follows major wall collapses, soil subsidence and structural failures at locations like Mylakkadu, Kooriyad and Ramanattukara-Valanchery, where contractors built heavy embankments without properly verifying or improving the underlying ground’s load capacity. Download the TOI App.