- By Nidhi Giri
- Tue, 22 Apr 2025 11:39 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
Greenfield Expressway In Kerala: A Greenfield Highway between Kozhikode and Palakkad in Kerala will cut down the travel time by an hour. The 126 km journey which takes about three hours to complete will now be completed within two hours. The estimated cost of the 121 km access-controlled expressway is about Rs 7,937 crore. The expressway has received approval to use 134 hectares of land, including areas near Silent Valley National Park.
At present, traffic congestion often extends travel time beyond three hours and 20 minutes. The project will avoid environmental conflicts by constructing underpasses, without service roads, along animal pathways, guided by the Zoological Survey of India’s recommendations.
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According to a Kaumudi report, the expressway will start at Palakkad’s Marutharode (NH 544) and end at Kozhikode’s Panthirangavu (NH 66), prioritizing direct routes through residential areas to minimize disruptions.
In another infrastructural update, India's inaugural Vande Bharat Sleeper train is set to launch under the Northern Railway, with Kerala being chosen to receive one of the nine trains scheduled for rollout later this year. The state will have priority for the 16-coach sleeper train allocated to the Southern Railway zone.
According to a Mathrubhumi report, the Thiruvananthapuram to Mangaluru (Mangalore) route has been prioritised for this new service. Additional routes being considered include Thiruvananthapuram to Bengaluru and Kanyakumari to Srinagar, aimed at improving inter-zone connectivity.