NH 66 elevated highway: NHAI-KSEB standoff ends, work to resume soon

Kochi: The prolonged standoff between NHAI and KSEB is finally drawing to a close, paving the way for the resumption of work on the elevated section of NH 66 in Aroor.The bone of contention centred on the Aroor-Thuravoor section of NH 66, where construction of the 12.75 km six-lane elevated corridor was paralyzed near Hotel Aroor Residency for months altogether.

The delay stemmed from a dispute over shifting an extra high tension (EHT) power line obstructing the pile cap area. KSEB is yet to give permission for the same, while insisting the NHAI contractor to set up temporary bypass systems at Aroor Junction and Aroor Residency.“A breakthrough is now imminent. Following an inspection by the chief electrical inspector on June 20, KSEB carried out minor required rectifications, such as earthing and trimming overhanging trees, on a war footing.

We are awaiting the final sanction from the electrical inspectorate in Thiruvananthapuram, which is expected within a week. NHAI will be given the nod immediately,” said a senior KSEB official.Earlier, NHAI contractor Ashoka Buildcon Ltd expressed concern over losing valuable working days, noting that they completed the emergency restoration system (ERS) temporary bypass structure on June 19.“Despite the inspectorate visit being completed and the main line recharged, the contractor is still awaiting official clearance to remove the redundant bottom EHT line,” said a senior NHAI official.

On the other hand, KSEB officials denied causing arbitrary delays. They argued that the standoff initially escalated because the contractor proposed using a single temporary bypass system sequentially, dismantling it at Aroor Junction before moving it to Aroor Residency. KSEB strongly opposed this approach, warning that running only one of the double-circuit lines at a time severely restricted installed power capacity and risked a total regional blackout if a fault occurred.NHAI countered that KSEB had sat on shutdown permissions since Sept 2025, forcing the contractor into temporary line erections that were outside the project’s original scope.The resolution brings immense relief to the Rs 2200 crore NH 66 project. Equipped with advanced features like noise barriers and a multi-lane free flow (MLFF) toll system, the high-speed corridor was originally slated to open in Feb this year. While the EHT wire dispute has pushed the timeline back by several months, the imminent clearance means workers can finally return to the site to meet the revised Oct completion deadline.