Kerala's upgraded 6-lane highway to open in January

Kerala is gearing up for a major leap in its infrastructure ambitions as the much-anticipated six-lane upgrade of National Highway 66 (NH 66), stretching from Kasaragod in the north to Trivandrum in the south, is set to open in January 2026.

- AM Abdussalam

Minister for Public Works and Tourism PA Mohamed Riyas made the announcement at the 'Vision 2031' seminar held on Saturday.

"This is the realisation of a long-cherished dream of Malayalis. This is more than a highway. It's a corridor of opportunity for economic, social, and tourism development," the minister said. This milestone project, which covers nearly 643 km along the state's vital coastal belt, is being hailed as a New Year gift to the people, promising to transform the state's transportation landscape. Minister Riyas credited the achievement to the determined efforts of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government and the state's decision to take matters into its own hands by funding a national highway project, an unprecedented move in India’s history.