Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently inaugurated the Thalappady–Chengala stretch of National Highway 66 in Kerala, marking a key milestone in the upgradation of the western coastal highway corridor. Built at a cost of Rs 17.04 billion, the 39-km six-lane highway strengthens connectivity in northern Kerala and forms part of the larger NH-66 expansion programme in the state.
The project was executed by Uralungal Labour Contract Co-operative Society (ULCCS) and is the first among the 23 NH-66 stretches in Kerala to be completed. Construction began in November 2021 and was completed in August 2025, after which the stretch was handed over to the National Highways Authority of India and opened to traffic. ULCCS is the only Kerala-based organisation to have secured a contract for the NH-66 upgrade programme.
The highway includes notable engineering features such as the country’s longest single-pillar six-lane bridge built using a box girder system. The project was also recognised with the National Highways Excellence Award 2023 from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
During construction, ULCCS incorporated several environmental initiatives including transplanting mature trees and planting saplings from a rare 40-year-old mango tree. Work at the site was also temporarily paused for nearly 55 days to allow the safe hatching of python eggs discovered during construction.
The completion of the Thalappady–Chengala stretch is expected to improve traffic movement along NH-66 and enhance the transportation of goods and passengers along India’s western coastal corridor.