Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has assured that the Centre will consider developing the Chinnakada–Kundara–Kottarakkara–Edamon national highway into a four-lane road with maximum possible width, provided the Kerala government acquires and hands over the necessary land, said N.K. Premachandran MP after a meeting with the Minister to discuss the expansion of the stretch.During the discussion, Mr Gadkari noted that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) had previously granted in-principle approval to widen this specific stretch to its maximum potential. However, the project had to be shelved at the time due to the non-availability of required land. The Minister added that if the State government ensures land availability, the Ministry will re-evaluate the feasibility and take swift action toward the full-width highway expansion.“The newly proposed Greenfield Highway from Kadambattukonam to Edamon cannot serve as a true alternative to the existing Chinnakada–Edamon corridor. Greenfield route originates nearly 26 km away from Chinnakada, leaving the densely populated urban and semi-urban corridors along the current stretch underserved. Major townships like Kundara and Kottarakkara rely entirely on the original national highway, making its expansion indispensable for the region’s overall connectivity,” said Mr. Premachandran.The MP further added that the land flanking both sides of the Chinnakada–Edamon highway is heavily populated and lined with commercial establishments, industries, schools, colleges, government hospitals, and places of worship. “The persistent delay in expanding the highway has resulted in severe traffic congestion lasting for hours, severely crippling daily passenger travel and freight movement. The Union Ministry has been urged to prioritize and expedite the maximum possible widening of the corridor to relieve commuters from these chronic bottlenecks,” he said. Published - July 29, 2026 08:03 pm IST