The construction of National Highway 66 in Kerala is set to enter its final phase, according to Minister for Public Works, PA Mohamed Riyas.

The highway, being developed under the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), has already seen 492.64 km widened into six lanes and opened for traffic. During a recent Assembly session, the Minister acknowledged that some defects had occurred in certain areas of the construction, which prompted the Chief Minister to request the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways to ensure timely completion of the project with a focus on quality and safety. In response, an expert committee inspected the affected stretches and recommended changes. Specifically, a defect was found in the Mylakkadu area of the Kollam-Kadampattukonam section.

The NHAI has appointed 10 agencies to inspect 17 stretches of the highway and initiated a Comprehensive Geotechnical Study Programme to ensure the quality of the project. A review of the design and construction of each reinforced soil (RS) Wall will also be done, considering strengthening, redesigning, demolishing, and building viaducts where needed.