The civil works of the Vattiyurkavu junction development project in Thiruvananthapuram will begin on Monday (September 14, 2026).
Health Minister and Vattiyurkavu MLA K. Muraleedharan will inaugurate the works near Maruthankuzhy. The works, which have been contracted by the Kerala Road Fund Board to the Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society (ULCCS), involve the construction of roads, culverts and retaining walls as well as shifting of utility lines.
The project, which has been a long-standing demand of people from the Vattiyurkavu and surrounding regions, had begun a few years ago with the acquisition of land of traders and other landowners in the area.
Revised estimate
The project initially began with an estimate of ₹506.48 crore, which was later revised to ₹531.76 crore. A major share of this amount—₹458.94 crore—was set aside for land acquisition. Work on a shopping complex to rehabilitate over 500 traders who gave up their shops and land for the project is currently under way.
The project involves the development of the 10.8-kilometre stretch from Sasthamangalam-Vattiyurkavu-Mannarakkonam-Peroorkada and from there to Mukkola and Vazhayila. The road will be developed with a width of 18.5 metres. Demolition of most of the structures on the acquired land has already been completed.
With ₹385 crore in funding for land acquisition and rehabilitation from the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) in the first phase, considerable compensation of up to ₹40 lakh for each cent has been provided to the landowners.
During the recent Assembly elections, the project became a matter of debate between the then ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF). The LDF and former Vattiyurkavu MLA V.K. Prasanth claimed credit for carrying out the land acquisition for the project, which had been stalled for several years. However, the UDF as well as Mr. Muraleedharan highlighted the delay over the past decade.
Published – September 14, 2026 07:00 am IST
