Thiruvananthapuram: Despite securing a massive central allocation for National Highway development, Kerala is facing a serious roadblock—its own inability to spend the funds effectively. Critical infrastructure projects across the state are bogged down by delays in land acquisition, environmental approvals, and bureaucratic hurdles, putting thousands of crores at risk of underutilization.
The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has pumped in substantial funding under key initiatives like Bharatmala, aiming to revamp and expand major NH corridors across the state. However, progress remains painfully slow on the ground.
Major projects, including the widening of NH-66 and NH-183, are crawling forward, plagued by public protests, legal roadblocks, and coordination failures between state and central agencies. Experts warn that unless the state accelerates project execution, it could miss a golden opportunity to transform its transport backbone.
As traffic congestion worsens and public frustration mounts, political blame games have erupted. While opposition parties slam the state government for inefficiency, the ruling front points fingers at procedural delays and insufficient central support in resolving local challenges.
With time ticking, Kerala stands at a crossroads—either fast-track development or risk losing the momentum and the money.
