Latest news with #NH66
The Hindu
08-08-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Flaws in design, implementation led to collapse of reinforced earth walls of NH 66 in Kerala: expert panel
The deficiencies in design, implementation, and quality assurance resulted in the collapse of reinforced earth (RE) walls that were constructed as part of the national highway (NH) 66 in Kerala, an investigation has concluded. The four-member expert panel appointed by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) concluded that 'there was a noticeable lack of consistent monitoring, third-party quality checks, and post-construction verification such as confirmatory boreholes, pull-out testing of reinforcements, and performance audits, as mandated in standard codes. This has resulted in premature failures, subsidence, and visible distress in multiple RE wall segments and cut slopes across the alignment.' The RE walls had caved in, and cracks appeared in many stretches of the road, giving rise to safety concerns and traffic snarls. Kerala witnessed widespread public protests following the damage caused to the NH. The report concluded that the RE walls 'have either been constructed or are currently under construction without implementing ground improvement measures or partial replacement of the subsoil with reinforced fill or partial replacement of the subsoil with reinforced fill and geosynthetic reinforcement as basal reinforcement. In many locations, the groundwater table is at ground level,' according to the report submitted to NHAI a few days ago. 'It is crucial to implement ground improvement measures, or there may be potential settlement issues in the future. Therefore, monitoring the RE wall is essential to evaluate the total settlement of the structure,' the report pointed out. The 'systematic absence of geological input in the planning and execution of the highway alignment and associated structures, particularly in zones comprising lateritic terrain, weathered rock, paleo-river valleys, backwater/tidal flats, and high cut slopes particularly in reaches built over paleo-fluvial deposits, tidal flats, and active backwater zones attributed to lack of consideration of geological complexities,' it pointed out. Though the NHAI and the Geological Survey of India (GSI) had entered into a memorandum of understanding on Jan 31, 2024 for 'technical collaboration for geotechnical, geological, and landslide risk-related support, it has been noted with concern that the services and expertise of GSI have not been utilised in the planning, DPR preparation, or construction stages of NH 66,' the report said. The panel has suggested to 'mandatorily engage geosciences experts or specialised agencies like GSI in all the highway projects' since the 'failure of highway slopes and associated infrastructure, particularly in hill and mountainous areas, is mostly dictated by the inherent geological complexities.' 'Geosciences experts or specialised agencies like GSI shall be engaged during project inception for route alignment feasibility, at the detailed project report stage for geological mapping, terrain classification, and slope-risk zoning, in the pre-construction phase for site-specific investigation, foundation validation, and material characterisation and during the construction phase for on-ground monitoring, slope remediation design, and dynamic advisory support,' prescribed the committee. The panel suggested 'immediate geological consultation and slope risk re-evaluation' for vulnerable and failure-prone stretches for the ongoing and future works under NH-66.'
New Indian Express
09-06-2025
- Automotive
- New Indian Express
Contract firm KNRC blames slushy soil for NH collapse
KOCHI: KNR Constructions (KNRC) said the company has made no 'mistake' in the construction of NH 66 and attributed the collapse of the highway stretch at Kooriyad in Malappuram to unexpected subsoil conditions. According to KNRC, the company responsible for the Ramanattukara-Valanchery section of NH 66, the approach ramp with a reinforced earth (RE) wall yielded due to 'pockets of soft or slushy soil between the earth's layers' beneath the foundation. The Hyderabad-based listed company, in its latest earnings call, stated that the construction process followed proper protocols. 'We are very confident that we have not done any mistake... It's a completely waterlogged area... Proper approvals were taken, and thorough examination of the foundations were done during earthing, along with subsoil investigations,' K Jalandhar Reddy, promoter and executive director of KNRC, said in the call. Responding to analysts' questions, Reddy explained that the designs were made accordingly, and Strata Geosystems, a renowned RE Walls agency, had done the work. 'The design was verified and approved by the authorities concerned before execution. So, as such, we didn't see anything that would have indicated this issue. We treat this as an accident only,' he said. He said the company has put forth a proposal to NHAI to construct a viaduct in the damaged area —estimated to cost Rs 25-Rs 30 crore — to permanently resolve the issue. Reddy said this solution would prevent similar problems in the future given the road's 15-year maintenance requirement.
New Indian Express
09-06-2025
- Automotive
- New Indian Express
KNRC Contract firm blames slushy soil for NH collapse
KOCHI: KNR Constructions (KNRC) said the company has made no 'mistake' in the construction of NH 66 and attributed the collapse of the highway stretch at Kooriyad in Malappuram to unexpected subsoil conditions. According to KNRC, the company responsible for the Ramanattukara-Valanchery section of NH 66, the approach ramp with a reinforced earth (RE) wall yielded due to 'pockets of soft or slushy soil between the earth's layers' beneath the foundation. The Hyderabad-based listed company, in its latest earnings call, stated that the construction process followed proper protocols. 'We are very confident that we have not done any mistake... It's a completely waterlogged area... Proper approvals were taken, and thorough examination of the foundations were done during earthing, along with subsoil investigations,' K Jalandhar Reddy, promoter and executive director of KNRC, said in the call. Responding to analysts' questions, Reddy explained that the designs were made accordingly, and Strata Geosystems, a renowned RE Walls agency, had done the work. 'The design was verified and approved by the authorities concerned before execution. So, as such, we didn't see anything that would have indicated this issue. We treat this as an accident only,' he said. He said the company has put forth a proposal to NHAI to construct a viaduct in the damaged area —estimated to cost Rs 25-Rs 30 crore — to permanently resolve the issue. Reddy said this solution would prevent similar problems in the future given the road's 15-year maintenance requirement.
The Hindu
06-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Transport woes persist for Kunniyoramala residents amid NH 66 construction
Sixty-two-year-old K.V. Ramakrishnan recalls the death of a neighbour three months ago. The resident, whose family did not wish to be named, died of a heart attack after a doctor from a nearby hospital was unable to reach him due to a lack of transport access. A former fisherman, Ramakrishnan, lives in Four Cent Colony in Kunniyoramala near Koyilandy taluk, Kozhikode district, where residents face persistent transport issues, exacerbated by the 'encroaching' construction of National Highway (NH) 66. On May 8, the residents launched a protest demanding the restoration of transport services and raising objections to the land acquisition process. The protest was temporarily suspended after Vadakara MP Shafi Parambil, the project director, and National Highways Authority officials met them during a meeting held on May 28 and assured that their concerns would be addressed within 20 days. 'We will decide our next step once a decision is made,' said Shajith O.P., convener of the Kunniyoramala Samyuktha Samara Samiti. 'We are not against development, but compromising basic transport facilities and safety cannot be considered progress,' he added. Mr. Shajith pointed out that Kunniyoramala has remained cut off since the hill was split during NH 66 construction, leaving residents without access to emergency transport. Concerns over landslides are also growing, with new cracks appearing on the hill and supporting cement walls weakening. Many displaced residents have returned to their houses in high-risk zones after the government reportedly failed to provide the promised rental support. 'How can daily wage workers afford months of rent?' asked K.P. Sunil Kumar a resident. 'We wouldn't be living in fear if land acquisition had been completed,' he added. Residents said they have raised these concerns repeatedly over the last three years but have received little response from authorities. They were particularly disheartened by District Collector Snehil Kumar Singh's remarks during a recent visit, where he reportedly told them to wait through another monsoon and said land acquisition would take place only in the event of a landslide. 'What guarantee do we have that a landslide won't happen next monsoon?' residents asked, recalling the previous year's landslide, which forced them into relief camps. This time, however, residents are hopeful as the issue surrounding the NH construction has gained more visibility. While no date has been fixed for a follow-up meeting, residents hope for a timely and lasting solution.
New Indian Express
06-06-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Prof K V Thomas rebuts allegations of corruption in NH66 project, defends PAC process
KOCHI: Kerala's special representative in New Delhi and former Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman, Prof K V Thomas, has strongly countered the allegations made by Congress leader and current PAC chairman K C Venugopal regarding irregularities in the awarding of sub-contracts for the NH66 development. Thomas said such accusations risk undermining the credibility of a major national infrastructure project. Prof Thomas, a veteran parliamentarian who once headed the PAC, said that if someone were to claim the committee was delaying or obstructing the dream project of national highway development in Kerala, 'they cannot be entirely blamed.' However, he clarified that the PAC chairperson does not wield unilateral authority. 'The PAC submits its decisions unanimously and only with the Speaker's consent to Parliament. It is Parliament that decides the course of action, based on the CAG's recommendations that the committee deliberated upon,' he said, in a statement here. Distinguishing the current scenario from previous instances, Prof Thomas said, 'During my tenure as PAC chairman, I made a statement about summoning the Prime Minister in the context of demonetisation and GST implementation, both of which were done without prior Parliamentary knowledge. But even then, we could not proceed without the committee's consensus and the Speaker's permission. Eventually, we summoned the RBI Governor instead, and the report was submitted to Parliament accordingly.'
