Kallumthazham plan: NHAI reportedly to study two ROBs in Kerala

NHAI is reported to be preparing a technical study for two railway overbridges (ROBs) and an approach road at Kallumthazham in Kollam, Kerala. If the proposal moves ahead, it could remove a missing road link that currently adds distance, fuel use and delay for vehicles moving between the NH 66 and NH 744 corridors—but there is no construction start date yet.

Key takeaways

A 3 Oct 2026 report says NHAI will directly assess the feasibility of two ROBs and an approach road at Kallumthazham.
The reported step is a technical evaluation, not a construction sanction, tender award or opening-date announcement.
Malayala Manorama reported in July that the missing service link can add about 8 km for some movements; a TKM Engineering College study estimated 200 vehicles an hour and ₹28 crore in annual savings if the connection is built.
The official RBDCK project page still shows an earlier single-ROB project record, including 2% physical progress and a ₹30.93 crore project outlay.

Representative editorial illustration of a Kerala highway crossing railway tracks with proposed overbridges and approach roads

Editorial illustration of a representative highway-and-railway-overbridge solution; it is not a photograph of Kallumthazham or an official NHAI project image.

What NHAI is reported to be studying

India Live reported on 3 Oct that NHAI would directly conduct a technical study covering two railway overbridges and an approach road at the congested Kallumthazham junction. The report attributed the update to Kollam MP N.K. Premachandran after discussions with NHAI chairman Santosh Kumar Yadav. It said an earlier expert committee from TKM College of Engineering had examined possible solutions, while a Kollam Collectorate meeting had considered appointing an outside consultancy.

The reported change is that NHAI would undertake the technical evaluation itself, citing its policy of directly executing railway overbridges along National Highways. That makes the development important for local commuters and freight vehicles, but the wording matters: a study will test alignment, engineering feasibility, land needs and approvals. It does not mean that construction has started.

Why the junction matters to drivers

The Kallumthazham area sits on the Kollam bypass corridor, connecting routes that serve NH 66 and NH 744. In its 15 July report, Malayala Manorama said the absence of a service road beside the existing railway crossing can force traffic to travel towards Kadavoor before rejoining the National Highway. It put the extra distance at about 8 km for affected movements.

That detour has a direct cost even before a driver reaches a toll plaza. The practical calculation is: extra fuel cost equals extra kilometres divided by the vehicle’s real-world kilometres per litre, multiplied by the fuel price on the day. A car, bus or goods vehicle making the movement regularly will also spend more time in traffic and accumulate additional tyre and maintenance use. Drivers planning a Kollam-area journey can compare the current route in the road-trip planner and estimate the fuel component with the fuel cost calculator.

Manorama also reported that a TKM Engineering College study estimated average traffic of 200 vehicles an hour through the proposed connection and annual savings of ₹28 crore, counting fuel, time, maintenance and road-safety effects. That is a study estimate, not a guaranteed saving or a current government projection. The figure should therefore be read as the potential value of removing the bottleneck, not as money already saved by road users.

What is confirmed—and what is not

The official RBDCK project page for Kallumthazham Junction ROB provides useful background, but it also shows why readers should not treat the new report as a work order. The page lists a 387.60-metre ROB including approaches, a 10.20-metre width and two lanes. It records a ₹30.93 crore project outlay within a ₹50 crore administrative sanction, along with 2% physical progress.

That page displays “GAD Status: Not approved”, while its current-status note says the General Arrangement Drawing was approved by the Railways on 22 Sep 2023 and that NHAI issued a no-objection certificate on 21 Dec 2024. The mixed status is a sign that the government project record reflects an earlier or evolving stage. It does not confirm the reported two-ROB configuration, a final alignment or a construction date.

The Times of India reported on 17 Sep that work on 12 overbridges in the Kollam Lok Sabha constituency was being pursued and that land acquisition for the Kallumthazham overbridge was under way. Taken together, the reports show an active infrastructure issue with several administrative steps still to clear—not an immediate route change for motorists.

What changes for drivers now

For now, drivers should continue to plan around the existing road layout. The latest report does not announce a new toll, a fresh traffic restriction, a start date or an opening date. It also does not say that the 8-km detour has already been removed. Current navigation instructions and local traffic management remain the practical source of route information until NHAI publishes a technical outcome or a work schedule.

Fuel prices can vary by city and date, so anyone comparing the cost of the detour should check the latest rates on the live fuel-price page and use the vehicle’s own mileage rather than a brochure figure. If the trip includes a tolled section, the route’s toll estimate should be checked separately; a possible ROB would not automatically change toll rules.

What to watch next

NHAI’s technical-study scope, including the proposed alignment and whether both ROBs are feasible.
Land-acquisition requirements and the agencies responsible for approach roads.
Approvals from the relevant highway and railway authorities, followed by a tender or construction order.
Any traffic-management plan that changes the current route while work is carried out.

Reader takeaway

The Kallumthazham update is a reported step towards resolving a long-running junction problem, not a promise of immediate relief. If NHAI confirms a technically and financially workable design, the project could cut a recurring detour for local drivers, buses and freight operators. Until that happens, the useful number for trip planning is the current route—not a future bridge shown only at the study stage.