Kerala gets huge share for NH development, but struggles with spending

Kozhikode: Kerala has received the highest allocation of funds for national highway development in the country, with the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways granting ₹23,300 crore for the financial year 2024-25. However, the state has spent only 31% of the funds, amounting to ₹7,300 crore, which is the lowest in the country. 

States such as Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have fully utilised their allocated funds while Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have also overtaken Kerala in fund utilisation. These figures are based on the bills incurred before the end of the fiscal year on March 31.

Kerala has always struggled to utilise the funds allocated for highway development, and despite some improvement, the state has only managed to spend 31% of the amount this time.

Various challenges including delays in land acquisition, contractor issues, and shortage of materials have been cited as the main reasons for the slow progress. Four stretches—Aroor–Thuravoor, Thuravoor-Paravoor, Paravoor-Kottamkulangara, and Kadambattukonam-Kazhakuttom roads—have seen less than 50% progress.

On a positive note, the Malabar region has seen more progress, with fast-moving projects. The Kozhikode Bypass, which spans 28.4 kilometres, is in its final stages.

Meanwhile, Public Works Minister P.A. Mohammed Riyas stated that the argument that Kerala has only utilised 31% of the funds is unrealistic. He explained that the funds are not used collectively but in stages, and land acquisition is still ongoing. It is unrealistic to expect the entire fund to be spent when land acquisition itself has cost ₹25,000 crore, with ₹5,600 crore funded by the state government, he added.