The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has decided to replace a 330-metre-high embankment section of the NH-66 widening project at Cheruvathur with an elevated viaduct after geotechnical investigations found the ground unsuitable to support the original design. The redesign applies to the stretch between Maicha bridge and Kariyamkode bridge in the project’s third reach.
According to sources, about 330 metres of the proposed embankment will be replaced with a pillar-supported elevated structure. The completed section, which had already been opened to traffic, will be dismantled and rebuilt under the revised design.
The stretch lies in a low-lying marshy area prone to monsoon flooding.
It is flanked by canals, a river and a lake, parts of which were reclaimed during highway construction.
The NHAI has directed the contractor, Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Limited (MEIL), to revise the design and reconstruct the section. The existing vehicle underpass (VUP) on the Padanna road at Cheruvathur will also be extended by about 100 metres—around 50 metres on either side—effectively converting it into a flyover-like elevated structure.
According to a senior MEIL official, the redesign was not prompted by flooding or recent complaints but by detailed geotechnical investigations carried out by a high-level committee constituted after soil-related issues were identified at Kooriyad in Malappuram.
Similar investigations were subsequently conducted at several locations along the NH-66 corridor.
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said fresh drawings and revised cost estimates were being prepared and that the additional project cost would be determined only after the revised design received approval.
Reconstruction of the stretch could take up to an additional year after the proposal is sanctioned, the official said.
The stretch from Kariyamkode bridge to Old Cheruvathur is considered one of the most challenging sections of the NH-66 project because of its difficult terrain.
The corridor also includes Veeramala hill, where slope-stabilisation works to prevent landslides are nearing completion.
The NHAI is planning similar design modifications at other locations.
Near the Perumba river at Payyannur, the bypass bridge will be extended by about 100 metres beyond either riverbank.
Published – July 20, 2026 11:29 pm IST
