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| SH-59 | ||||
 SH 59 highlighted in red | ||||
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| Route information | ||||
| Maintained byKerala Public Works Department | ||||
| Length | 1,332.16 km (827.77 mi) | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| North end | Nandarapadavu | |||
| Major intersections |
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| South end |  NH 66 inParassala | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | India | |||
| State | Kerala | |||
| Districts | Kasaragod,Kannur,Wayanad,Kozhikode,Malappuram,Palakkad,Thrissur,Ernakulam,Idukki,Kottayam,Pathanamthitta,Kollam,Thiruvananthapuram | |||
| Highway system | ||||
| State Highways in Kerala | ||||
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TheThiruvananthapuram–Kasaragod Hill Highway orState Highway 59 (SH-59) orMalayora Highway as it is known in the state ofKerala is a proposed state highway. Upon completion, it will be the longest highway in Kerala, extending from Nandarapadavu inKasaragod district toParassala inThiruvananthapuram district, at a length of 1332.16 km. The highway will pass through 13 of the 14 districts, the exception beingAlappuzha as that district is not part of the hilly ranges of Kerala.[1]
The highway which is under early stages of construction would pass through areas includingBandadka,Malom,Chittarikkal,Cherupuzha,Alakode,Payyavoor,Ulikkal,Mananthavady,Kalpetta,Thiruvambady,Nilambur,Karuvarakundu,Pookkottumpadam,Edakkara,Palakkad,Pattikkad,Neriamangalam,Kattappana,Mundakayam,Erumely,Ranni,Konni,Koodal,Vazhathope,Pathanapuram,Punalur,Anchal,Kulathupuzha,Madathara,Palode,Vithura,Aryanadu,Vellarada etc. This highway will pass through 13 out of the 14 districts in Kerala state. BetweenKannur andMalappuram districts, this highway will have two parallel routes, one throughWayanad district and another throughKozhikode district.[2]
Development of highway-59 in Kerala is proposed in two phases. First phase involved selection of most feasible route betweenKasaragod andPalakkad Districts. TheNational Transportation Planning and Research Centre(NATPAC) has already undertaken detailed investigation and finalised the alignment for Phase I of Hill Highway. Implementation of the same is in progress in the northern region ofKerala. In the second stage possible alternative routes for developing into Hill Highway betweenPalakkad andThiruvananthapuram Districts are identified. Field studies and environmental screening of the project were completed and NATPAC submitted the report to Government on 21-05-2009. Government have approved the alignment on 6-7-2009 and issued Government order vide GO (MS) No.44/2009/PWD dated 6-7-2009.[3] It is also called as "Kerala's Spice route"[4]
| Sl.No | District | Alignment | Length | Remarks |
| 1 | Kasaragod | Stretch 1Nandarapadav - Chevar Nandarapadav, Sunkathakatte,Paivalike, Chevar Stretch 2Chevar - Edapparambu Chevar,Angadimogaru,Puthige, Idiyadukka (Perla),Badiyadka,Mulleria, Padiyathadukka, Athanadi, Edapparamba Stretch 3Edapparambu -Kolichal Edapparamba, Pandi, Pallanchi, Sankarambadi,Paduppu,Bandadka, Manadukkam,Kolichal Stretch 4Kolichal - District boundary nearCherupuzha. Kolichal, Pathinettam Mile, Chully,Malom,Chittarikkal | 128 km | |
| 2 | Kannur | Cherupuzha.Manjakad,Alakode,Karuvanchal,Thavukunnu,Naduvil,Chemperi,Payyavoor,Ulikkal,Vallithode,Anappanthy,Karikkottakary,Edoor,Aralam,Kappukadavu,Perumbunna,Madapurachal,Manathana,Kanichar,Kelakam,Kottiyoor,Ambayathode, Boy's Town (continues toWayanad district) | 109 km | |
| 3 | Kozhikode | Stretch 1 Chunkakutty - Kakkadampoyil Thottilppalam, Mullankunnu, Chavaramuzhi Bridge, Peruvannamuzhi, Chakkittapara, Koorachundu, Kallanod, Thalayad, Kattippara, Malapuram, Kodanchery, Nellipoyil, Pulloorampara, Koodaranji, Kakkadampoyil Stretch 2 Marippuzha - Pulloorampara Wayanad Tunnel - Muthappanpuzha - Anakkampoyil - Pulloorampara | 110 km | |
| 4 | Wayanad | Stretch 1 Boy's Town,Mananthavady,Panamaram,Kalpetta,Meppadi, Kalladi Wayanad Tunnel Stretch 2 Boy's Town - Valad - Niravilpuzha - Pakramthalam Churam | 96 km | |
| 5 | Malappuram | Akampadam,Nilambur, Pookkottumpadam, Kalikavu, Karuvarakundu,Melattur, Ucharakkadavu | 101 km | |
| 6 | Palakkad | Kanjirampara, Alanallur, Bheemanad, Kottopadam, Kumaram, Puttur, Mannarkadu, Chandranagar (Palakkad Town), Kalligal, Puthunagaram, Kollenkode, Nenmara, Vadakkenchery | 130 km | |
| 7 | Thrissur | Pattikkad,Vilangannoor,Mannamangalam,Pulikkanny,Palappilly,Nayattukundu,Vellikulangara,Randukai,Vettilappara | 60 km | |
| 8 | Ernakulam | Vettilappara, Adivaram, Kadappara, Ellithodu, Chettinada, Pannamkuzhi, Payal, Kottapadi, Chelladu, Ughipara,Nadukani,Neriamangalam, Arrammile Elamblassery | 104 km | |
| 9 | Idukki | Kurathikudi, Perubankuth,Mankulam, Kallar, Eruttukanam, Kunjithanni,Rajakkad,Thinkalkadu, Myladumpara,Nedumkandam, Puliyanmala,Kattappana,Elappara,Kuttikkanam,Mundakayam | 166 km | |
| 10 | Kottayam | Mundakayam,Erumely,Placheri | 24 km | |
| 11 | Pathanamthitta | Ranni,Kumbazha,Konni,Koodal | 46 km | |
| 12 | Kollam | Pathanapuram,Piravanthoor,Punalur,Karavaloor,Anchal,Kulathupuzha,Madathara, | 64 km | |
| 13 | Thiruvananthapuram | Madathara,Palode,Thenoor,Vithura,Aryanad,Kuttichal,Amboori,Vellarada,Karakkonam,Parassala | 75 km |
The idea of a hill highway throughKasaragod district(then part ofKannur district) and nearby districts hill areas to improve market access of farmers was first mooted byJoseph Kanakamotta who formed Kasaragod District Hill Area Development Committee. He proposed the plan for a hill highway in 1960 and it didn't receive much support at initial years. In the District Development Council meeting held at Kannur in 1966 first approval for the project came through. In 1987 there was an announcement abandoning the project.[5] However theGovernment of Kerala approved the project and funds were allocated for the same in 2005 and the same year on 17 January 2005, thenChief minister of KeralaOommen Chandy inaugurated the first phase of the project between Kasaragod and Palakkad at a function held inPayyavoor.[6]
Finalizing alignment of the project and getting clearances from forest department faced huge delays. In September 2016Detailed Project Report for just 79 km from proposed 1229 km was only completed.[7] The project comprises 40 reaches and in 7 reaches it is planned with less than 12 metre width. As of 2020, works on 21 reaches spread acrossThiruvananthapuram,Kollam,Kozhikode,Kannur,Kasaragod districts are in progress.[8]
In March 2020, a 46 km stretch of hill highway inKollam district betweenPunalur and Agasthyacode (nearAnchal) and between Alencherry (nearAnchal) and Challimukku (nearKollayil onKollam -Thiruvananthapuram district border) got completed.[9][10]
In August 2020, works on 35 km stretch of the highway inKozhikode district betweenKodencheri andKakkadampoyil at a width of 12 m was inaugurated by Minister of Public Works Department. The works are done byUralungal Labour Contract Co-operative Society.[11] The works onThottilpalam - Thalayad stretch is facing opposition from land owners.[12]
TheDetailed Project Report for project inKasaragod district was submitted with a length of 128 km through the district in January 2018.[13] As of August 2020, the works in first stretch of the project inKasaragod district between Nandarapadavu and Chevar are nearing completion and works on other stretches are in progress.[14]
The works inThiruvananthapuram district commenced in 2018 atParassala constituency in two reachesParassala -Kudappanamoodu Reach 1 andKudappanamoodu - Paruthipalli reaches.[15] As of 2020, the works on Reach 1 is stalled and works in Reach 2 is moving in a very slow pace. In 2021 February, the works on 15.7 km Reach-1 betweenParassala -Kudappanamoodu was re-tendered since the contractor to whom it was awarded initially had died due toCOVID-19 pandemic.[16] The new contract was awarded toUralungal Labour Contract Co-operative Society.[17] The works on 7.85 km-longKudappanamoodu -Kallikkad stretch and the 3.90 km-longKallikkad-Paruthippally stretch in the subsequent reaches are in progress.
InWayanad district as of February 2021, the land acquisition fromtea estates on a 13 km stretch betweenMeppadi and Chooralmala is pending.[18] The part of hill highway connecting hill highway ofWayanad district withMalappuram district i.e. the Aranappuzha - Munderi stretch passes through forest 7 km of forest land.[19] This area is ecologically sensitive and was impacted severely by2019 Kerala floods and approval fromForest Department is still pending in this stretch.[20]
The hill highway can benefit the hilly regions of Kerala immensely. It will help boosttourism, improve connectivity and transportation, easy market access to farmers from the hilly regions, relief measures during disasters etc.[21] Though there are apprehensions that this project has ecological impacts, the benefits and value that it brings to people living in high range areas is tremendous.[22] InNilambur region it will help people accessMysore bypassing theBandipur night travel ban throughMananthavady.[23]
| No | Financial Year | Amount outlay (Rs) | Amount spend (Rs)[24] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2012–13 | Nil | Nil |
| 2 | 2013–14 | 82.37 lakh | 6.23 cr |
| 3 | 2014–15 | 82.37 lakh | 8.98 cr |
| 4 | 2015–16 | 9.06 crore | 7.35 cr |
Geographic data related toHill Highway atOpenStreetMap
