en.Wedoany.com Reported - Dimension News, the Indian Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has issued a notification under Section 3A of the National Highways Act (1956), formally initiating the land acquisition process for the Kochi Outer Ring Road (ORR) project. The planned 49.5-kilometer, eight-lane highway connecting Angamaly and Aroor is a key infrastructure project aimed at easing traffic congestion in Kochi.

The total project investment amounts to INR 69.35 billion (approximately USD 693.5 million), with implementation led by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). The Section 3A notification appoints Special Deputy Collectors of Ernakulam and Alappuzha districts as the competent authorities for land acquisition. The project requires the acquisition of363.73 hectares of land across20 villages. Acquisition work is expected to commence in late August or early September, with authorities planning to complete it within one year to avoid procedural complications in the subsequent Section 3D notification stage.

The Kerala state government and the central government have reached a significant financial arrangement: the state government will forgo its share of Goods and Services Tax (GST) on building materials and royalty fees, amounting to approximatelyINR 4.24 billion; in exchange, NHAI has exempted the state government from its25% share of land acquisition costs. This arrangement resolves the key financial hurdle that had previously stalled the project's progress.

The Kochi Outer Ring Road is not a new proposal. A Section 3A notification was issued in 2024 for a six-lane alignment covering approximately 44.7 kilometers from Angamaly to Kundannoor, but it lapsed due to failure to complete land surveys and issue the Section 3D notification within one year. The revised proposal now restarted has expanded the project's scale and coverage. In addition to Angamaly and Aroor, the highway will pass through approximately 20 towns and villages, including Arakkapady, Pattimattom, Vadavucode, Thiruvaniyoor, Marampilly, Vengola, Karukutty, Thuravoor, Mattoor, Kumbalam, and Maradu. Meanwhile, Cochin International Airport (CIAL) is planning an approximately 2-kilometer connecting road to directly link into the Kochi Outer Ring Road.

The Centre for Public Policy Research, however, cautions that new road infrastructure may not necessarily solve existing traffic problems and could instead encourage more private vehicle use, worsening congestion. The organization's founder noted that the vehicle-to-population ratio in the region is already close to one vehicle for every two people. Nevertheless, with the formal commencement of the land acquisition process, this long-stalled project has crossed a critical milestone.