Kerala Allocates ₹227.18 Crore for Nilambur Bypass Construction

The Kerala government has approved ₹227.18 crore to build the Nilambur bypass in Malappuram district. The government made the declaration on April 16 by State Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal. The project will ensure free movement of traffic at Nilambur town and will improve connectivity via State Highway 28.

The bypass will be built in two stages: Jyothippadi to Mukatta and Mukatta to Veliyamthode. Up to 10.66 hectares of land in Nilambur taluk would be taken for the project.

The bypass has been under planning since 1998, and a land acquisition environmental impact assessment was carried out in August 2023. The new highway, when completed, will minimize traffic jams on this crucial road considerably, particularly for tourists commuting between Tamil Nadu and Kerala. It will likely decongest the long queues of vehicles waiting at Nilambur, particularly those bound for Ooty and Gudalur.

This is just before the much-expected by-election to the Nilambur assembly constituency that had been left vacant by P.V. Anvar. Anvar, who had occupied the seat in the sponsorship of the Left Democratic Front (LDF), then defected to the other side following a falling out with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

Nilambur Bypass is an important infrastructural project for facilitating the passage of local as well as tourist traffic, besides enhancing the economic value of the area.