Payyannur: More foot overbridges are set to come up across the six-lane highway and service roads at several locations. The move comes amid strong public demand for underpasses to cross the National Highway, with authorities opting to construct foot overbridges as a final measure.

Each foot overbridge will have a length of 45 metres. The width of the staircase section will be 1.8 metres, while the width of the bridge deck at the top will be 2.4 metres.

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In the Thalappady–Chengala stretch (39 km), where work has been fully completed, five new foot overbridges will be constructed. These are planned at Govinda Pai College, Kasaragod CPCRI, Malhar, Kanila Temple, Mogral Puthur Kunnil and Adkath Bayal. Engineers said four more are also likely to be added. At present, there are 10 foot overbridges in this stretch. The original design had proposed only three, but later approval was granted for seven more.

In the Taliparamba–Muzhappilangad stretch (30 km), five foot overbridges are under construction at Kalliasseri, Edakkad Madam Road, near O K School, near Nadakkal Mathrubhumi and near Aster MIMS. At some of these locations, protests are currently under way demanding large underpasses instead.

Across the Chengala–Taliparamba corridor (77 km), covering two reaches, a total of five foot overbridges are planned. In the Chengala–Nileshwaram stretch (37 km), there has been growing demand for additional pedestrian bridges at multiple locations.

In the Nileshwaram–Taliparamba stretch (40 km), construction has begun near Payyannur Central School. However, protests are continuing in this reach as well, demanding both underpasses and foot overbridges.