After an unexpected halt, construction on the long-awaited approach road to the Pavangad–Puthiyappa railway overbridge (ROB) is finally back on track. The Roads and Bridges Development Corporation of Kerala (RBDCK) has greenlit a revised design that cleverly sidesteps a major obstacle: underground power cables that threatened to derail the project and inflate its budget.

Key facts

  • KSEB issued a stop-work notice after discovering 110-kV and 11-kV cables during trial piling.
  • Relocating the cables was initially estimated to cost ₹5.5 crore.
  • The revised design increases pile count at four locations to avoid the 110-kV cable.
  • Only the 11-kV cable must be moved, at a reduced cost of ₹38 lakh.

The Cable Conundrum

Work came to a sudden stop when the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) served a notice to the Public Works Department. During trial piling, crews had unearthed a web of 110-kV and 11-kV underground power cables running directly through the construction site. The discovery forced a hard pause—and a rethink.

Engineering a Solution

Faced with a potential ₹5.5 crore bill to relocate 350 meters of cable, RBDCK engineers got creative. Instead of moving the high-voltage line, they decided to build around it. The revised design calls for adding extra piles—boosting the count from three to four at four specific spots where the 110-kV cable lies beneath. It’s a nimble workaround that protects the infrastructure and keeps the budget intact.

Road to Reality

The ROB itself has stood completed but useless for 11 years, a frustrating symbol of stalled progress. With state funds of ₹12.82 crore already allocated over a year ago, locals have waited long enough. Now, with the structural modification approved, only the cheaper relocation of the 11-kV cable and a final nod from the PWD stand between this project and the finish line.