Deadline Passes for Kochi Bypass Land Acquisition Notification

Quick Summary

• The 44-km-long Kundannoor-Angamaly NH 544 bypass (Kochi Bypass) remains delayed, as the deadline for publishing the 3D notification on land acquisition expired on August 29, 2025.
• This delay risks voiding the previous 3A notification issued in August 2024 and necessitating a restart of the entire land acquisition process, which includes compensation payments and possession of affected properties.
• The delay coudl result in increased costs for land acquisition and raw materials for the ₹6,000 crore greenfield project designed to decongest key NH corridors in Kerala.
• Only less than 30% of survey and land acquisition data has been compiled due to delayed deployment of surveyors; over 40 surveyors were appointed only by mid-July but could not complete their work on time despite extensive efforts.
• Stakeholders express urgency to publish critical notifications and finalize land acquisition by March 2026 to ensure timely commencement of construction work.
• Concerns have been raised by local action councils regarding both insufficient planning at state levels and incomplete groundwork by NHAI. Union Ministers as well as State officials had been approached earlier this year to expedite procedures.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The delays in implementing the Kochi Bypass project highlight systemic coordination challenges between state authorities and central agencies like NHAI. Setting up proper mechanisms for timely deployments-such as appointing adequate survey personnel-could reduce bottlenecks. From an infrastructure viewpoint, these repeated delays raise economic concerns due to escalating costs linked with prolonged timelines.

For a region heavily dependent on its national highways to handle substantial traffic loads (~1 lakh passenger car units daily), notable infrastructure upgrades like this bypass are imperative not just for easing congestion but supporting long-term regional growth. Such setbacks may undermine public confidence in large-scale initiatives unless urgent corrective actions are taken promptly.

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