The leader of the Congress and MP Kozhikode MK Raghavan criticized the state government for the treatment of the proposed construction of an overpass in the center of water resources (CWRDM) – Panathuthazhaz Road Junction on the national highway near Harith Nagar Colony in Kozhikode City.
His notes came in the middle of the growing public inconvenience after the closure of the Panathuthazham road, while the overpass project was still in limb due to delayed land acquisition procedures.
While he welcomed the recent meeting of the Minister of Public Work (PWD) PA Mohammad Riyas with the Minister of the Union for Road Transport and the Nitin motorway, Gadkari, he was critical of the previous inactivity of the state government. “The main responsibility of the government was to complete the formalities of land acquisition and submit a detailed proposal. The meeting with the Minister of the Union is welcome, but they were to approach the center with clear project documents, not only for discussions,” said Mr. Raghavan on Thursday (October 9, 2025).
Mr. Raghavan also pointed out that this problem was not new to the center, because he personally increased the demand for the overpass Panathuthazham as part of a wider transport solution with the National Highway Authority and Minister of Transport of the Union in 2022.
At that time, the central authorities clearly instructed that a detailed proposal would be submitted through the state government only after the completion of land acquisition. Despite the repeated reminder of the PWD to submit the proposal, Mr. Raghavan stated that no measures were taken, and the project was further delayed even after the Minister handed over the file to the chief engineer.
“The project remains stopped today, because the land acquisition process has never been launched,” Mr. Raghavan said. He added that the government’s intervention now, after the public transportation has been disturbed, can only be described as an inability to act until the last minute.
Mr. Raghavan has not changed the words about the consequences of the delay. “The government could not fulfill its duty. Now that the Panathuthazhaz Road road closed, the general public will have to suffer until the land is completed and the work on access and the overpass is finally completed.”
The deputy pointed to the answer of the Minister of the Union in parliament together with accompanying documents as definitive evidence of the negligence of the state government in this matter.
Published – October 10, 2025 12:13
