The detailed project report study for the proposed Edappally–Vyttila–Aroor elevated highway in Kochi will be restarted, following a meeting between Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden and National Highways Authority of India chairman Santosh Kumar Yadav in Delhi. NHAI senior officials and technical experts are expected to visit the corridor in mid-November and prepare a development report that will guide the next steps.
The proposed elevated route covers the central section of National Highway 66 through Kochi. The decision comes as six-lane expansion work progresses on the Edappally–Kodungallur stretch to the north and construction of a six-lane elevated expressway advances between Aroor and Thuravoor to the south. The intervening Edappally–Vyttila–Aroor section, however, continues as an older four-lane road.
According to the account of the meeting, Eden told the NHAI chairman that this gap could become a major bottleneck once the adjoining projects are completed. The existing corridor passes through heavily built-up areas, with large buildings on both sides. This makes widening through additional land acquisition difficult, and an elevated road has been proposed as a way to address capacity constraints without relying on extensive surface-level expansion.
The MP also asked NHAI to reconsider an earlier view that an elevated highway in this section could be avoided because of the proposed Kochi Outer Ring Road. He argued that bypassing key junctions in Kochi would reduce the value of the broader highway development and said the proposed project should receive priority with the cooperation of the state government.
The restart of the DPR study does not amount to a final construction approval. The proposed site inspection and the development report will determine the further course of action. The study is expected to examine the corridor’s existing conditions and the requirements for developing an elevated route through one of the city’s most built-up and heavily used transport sections.
The announcement also included an update on drainage works along the Kodungallur–Edappally section of NH 66. NHAI has approved an additional allocation of Rs 7,45,38,700 for a second-phase drainage project intended to address persistent waterlogging. The allocation is based on estimates submitted by local bodies for directing rainwater into natural water bodies.
With the additional approval, the total amount allocated for drainage construction on the stretch has risen to Rs 28.89 crore, from the earlier allocation of Rs 22.43 crore. The new drainage work and the proposed elevated highway study address separate issues on the highway network: recurring flooding on the northern section and a capacity bottleneck through central Kochi.
NHAI officials and technical experts are scheduled to inspect the Edappally–Vyttila–Aroor corridor in mid-November. The development report prepared after the visit is expected to establish the basis for subsequent decisions on the project.
