By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The opening of the NH-66 bypass from Mukkola to Karode near the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border is likely to be delayed owing to shortage of red earth and gravel. The 16.3km stretch which is touted to be the first concrete road in Kerala was set to be commissioned on May 2020. However, the work, which had started in 2017 without initial hiccups, has slowed down over the past five months, owing to the unavailability of construction materials, said officials with the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI). According to them, the district administration has to ensure the smooth progress of the work which includes easing the procurement of essential raw materials. However, District Collector K Gopalakrishnan told TNIE that a review meeting was held 35 days ago and the NHAI officials said the work was on the right track. “We had discussed the shortage of materials. The NHAI had promised they would procure the materials from Tamil Nadu, which is why I am not aware of the present crisis. However, I will look into the issue,” he said. A senior NHAI official said he hopes the work will be completed at the earliest following which the road can be opened to traffic at least before the start of monsoon in June. Pending work There are several works pending on the stretch. Though the concreting work of the road at Kanjiramkulam, Chenkavila and Mukkola has been completed, the construction of a flyover near Kanjiramkulam is yet to begin. The construction of a major bridge across the Neyyar river near Neyyattinkara is under way.The highway which will be constructed using dry lean concrete in place of the usual wet mix macadam over the granular sub-base is also expected to be more durable than the regular roads.

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