Kozhikode: Public Works Minister P A Mohammed Riyas on Monday said the Thondayad and Ramanattukara flyovers on NH 66 will be completed and opened to the public by March 2024. He also said the Kozhikode Bypass, which is part of the NH 66 (earlier NH 17) project, will be the state government's New Year's gift to the people in 2025.

The minister was in Kozhikode to review the progress of the Azhiyur-Vengalam-Ramanattukara stretch of the NH 66 project. “The work on the Vengalam- Ramanattukara-Kozhikode bypass stretch on National Highway 66 is 58 per cent complete. It will be opened for traffic by 2025. The NH 66 is a dream project of the state government. A meeting chaired by the chief minister will be held on Tuesday to discuss the project's remaining hurdles,” said Riyas.

The minister also said work on the Paloli and Moorad bridges would be completed and opened at the earliest. “The Thalassery-Mahe Bypass will also open soon. The travelling time between Vatakara and Thalassery will be reduced to 15 minutes,” added Riyas.

Plot for NHAI office
The state government has allotted 25 cents of land to the NHAI (National Highway Authority of India) for an office in Thiruvananthapuram.
Meanwhile, there are reports that the deadline to complete the NH 66 project is likely to be postponed as work is not progressing as scheduled.