Works on Parippu–Thollayiram road to resume after decades of delay-OxBig News Network

In a major step toward completing a road project that has been stalled for over three decades, the State Cabinet on Wednesday approved a fresh allocation of ₹7.08 crore for the construction of the Parippu–Thollayiram road.

The road, construction of which began in 1985 with the completion of an approach bridge, had since been caught in legal disputes and land acquisition hurdles. The Cabinet’s latest decision has rekindled hope that the long-pending project will finally see the light of day.

The government had originally sanctioned ₹5.29 crore for the project, but the funds proved inadequate. A revised estimate of ₹5.90 crore was later approved, but tender bids still exceeded this amount.

Following a proposal from the Chief Engineer of the Kerala State Rural Roads Development Agency (KSRRDA) seeking approval for the tender excess, the Cabinet has now cleared the revised financial requirement.

The road that passes through the agricultural belts of Upper Kuttanad offers connectivity to the 700-acre Thollayiram and 210-acre Vattakayal paddy fields in Aymanom grama panchayat. The road also connects to the under-construction Manchira bridge. Once works on the road and the bridge are completed, residents will enjoy faster access to Alappuzha and Ernakulam via Kumarakom. The Manchira bridge is being constructed using funds from the local MLA’s asset development fund.