Two-wheelers to be barred from NH66 six-lane stretch in Kerala, exceptions made for bridges

 Two-wheelers will not be allowed to ply on the main carriageway of the six-lane National Highway-66 and must instead use the service roads, as per the current rules restricting such vehicles from expressways. However, the situation is complicated in many parts of Kerala where service roads are either incomplete or entirely missing, especially along bypasses.

In these areas, two-wheelers will have to rely on older roads and switch back to the service road wherever possible. A major concern arises on bridge sections, where there are no service roads and no alternative river crossings. To address this, authorities have agreed to allow two-wheelers to use bridge sections of the main highway.

The reduction in the highway width from 60 metres to 45 metres has significantly limited space for service roads, prompting a new proposal. This proposal, currently under government consideration, suggests permitting slow-moving vehicles, including two-wheelers, to use the extreme left lane of the main six-lane highway in areas lacking service roads.

·         Bus infrastructure: No dedicated bus bays have been provided along the service road. Instead, 77 compact shelters measuring 4.5m by 1.8m will be installed on the 2-metre-wide footpaths across the 39-km Thalapady–Chengala stretch. Service roads: Each service road is 6.75 metres wide and will support two-way traffic. Covered drainage slabs will be used as part of the road surface. However, there are no separate lanes for two-wheelers.

·         Cycle access: Underpasses will not have separate cycle paths.

·         Entry/Exit design: Dedicated 24-metre-wide ramps are being constructed for vehicles to enter and exit the highway. These will be staggered, with entry and exit points located separately.