Urban and rural Kerala witness equal growth through infrastructure push, says chief minister

Thiruvananthapuram: Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday said that both urban and rural regions of Kerala are experiencing benefits of development, highlighting that infrastructure projects worth Rs 1.16 lakh crore were implemented through Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) over the past 10 years.He was speaking after inaugurating development of Vattiyoorkavu Junction and its adjoining roads, construction of a rehabilitation complex for traders displaced due to land acquisition. He also inaugurated public works department projects worth Rs 283 crore completed at the assembly constituency.
The chief minister claimed that transformative projects such as Coastal Highway, Hill Highway, National Highway expansion, Thiruvananthapuram Ring Road, MC Road development, National Waterway and the proposed Wayanad tunnel were reshaping the state's infrastructure landscape. He noted that Vizhinjam was no longer just a regional name but a symbol of growth, with Technopark entering a new phase of expansion and a Digital Science Park on the way. Medical College development projects were also implemented. "A decade ago, many of these projects existed only on paper," he said. For the comprehensive development of Vattiyoorkavu Junction and connecting roads, KIIFB sanctioned Rs 531 crore. The road from Sasthamangalam to Peroorkada is being widened to 18.5m in three reaches. Land acquisition for the first two stretches—from Sasthamangalam to Mannarakonam and from Mannarakonam to Peroorkada—was completed, while procedures for the third stretch up to Vazhayila via Mukkola are progressing, he said. As part of the project, several commercial establishments had to be relocated. Govt acquired 2.31 acres at a cost of Rs 89 crore for traders' rehabilitation. A rehabilitation complex would be constructed at a cost of Rs 9.25 crore from the budget to accommodate 58 affected traders, the CM said. He also announced Rs 25 crore for the renovation of Mannarakonam–Peroorkada Road, Rs 29 crore for land acquisition for Sasthamangalam–Peroorkada stretch and Rs 16 crore for Mannarakonam Junction development. A flyover costing Rs 176 crore is under construction at Peroorkada, while Rs 138 crore was spent on land acquisition for the Pattom flyover.