Kerala has asked Tamil Nadu to help ensure uninterrupted movement of crushed stone and other construction materials, as the state government moves to accelerate delayed works on the NH 66 development project. Public Works Department minister K M Basheer said the state had raised concerns over slow construction on several stretches of the highway and was seeking administrative measures to ease supply constraints.
The state government has submitted memorandums to the Union minister for road transport and highways on July 7 and September 24, 2026, requesting urgent intervention to expedite the works. The memorandums followed reviews of NH 66 progress by the chief minister and the public works minister.
According to the National Highways Authority of India, delays have been linked to additional demands raised by people’s representatives, deficiencies in construction practices, shortages of construction materials, and lapses involving contractors and workers. The authority’s assessment was cited by the state government while reviewing the slow pace of work on different highway stretches.
Restrictions in recent months on transporting construction materials from Tamil Nadu to Kerala have also caused temporary shortages, the report said. Crushed stone supplied from Tamil Nadu is required for highway construction, and the state government has now sought suitable relaxations or other administrative measures within the existing regulatory framework.
The state secretary has written to his Tamil Nadu counterpart requesting support for uninterrupted interstate transportation of the material. Kerala is awaiting a response from the neighbouring state. The request places the material supply issue within an inter-state administrative framework rather than treating the delays only as a matter involving individual construction sites.
The Kerala government has also directed the industries department and district collectors to speed up applications connected with earth excavation and quarrying needed for the national highway works. These applications are part of the state’s effort to address material availability and related approvals affecting construction progress.
A meeting of people’s representatives will be convened under the chairmanship of the chief minister in the coming weeks to resolve issues arising from additional demands and support timely completion of the works. After that meeting, the state government plans to send a list of required interventions to the National Highways Authority of India.
