“We have signed the first SSA and it is a symbolic move towards BOT— a first of its kind highway upgradation exercise in the state. The move will help the state get better infrastructure and is in the larger public interest. We will sign SSAs for BOT toll-based NHAI projects in the state as and when we need to award them to contractors,” Matthew C Kunnunkal, Principal Secretary of Kerala PWD, said. The Kerala Government had put the Centre in a spot earlier this year by refusing to sign the SSA required for four-laning of 664 km of national highways in the state.

The state government claimed it could not permit toll collection on its highways. Several attempts later — including interventions by the PMO, Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport & Highways — the state government finally accepted the ‘policy issue’ last month. Kerala was the only state to oppose toll-based projects. Even other Left-ruled states, West Bengal and Tripura, signed up for similar upgradation of highways.

“They have agreed to provide NHAI 45 metre land width along the highway for four-laning. NHAI usually asks for 60 metre land width for four-laning projects, but it had agreed on 45 metre for Kerala, keeping in mind major land acquisition issues and high prices in the state.

NHAI had already awarded this project to a contractor and the latter had even started work and spent a whopping Rs 30 crore, only to be stopped all of a sudden when the state government refused to sign SSA saying it was against their ‘policy’ to allow tolled roads,” said a senior official.

The state has 33.6 km of a four-laned national highway from Ernakulam to Angamali (N-S/E-W corridor). As per Kerala PWD figures, of the total 1,523.954 km of national highways in the state, 1,076 km are single-lane and 411 km are two-lane. NHAI plans a Rs 5,000 crore highway upgradation exercise in the state.