Kerala HC directs Kochi Corporation to complete rectification work on S.A. Road within four months
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A PIL raised concerns over hazardous conditions along the 3.10-km stretch of S.A. Road in the city, where road surfaces have sunk near the metro pile caps, reportedly resulting in accidents and loss of life. | Photo Credit: H. VIBHU
The Kerala High Court on Friday (September 18, 2026) directed the Kochi Corporation to complete the rectification work on the 3.10-km stretch of Sahodaran Ayyappan Road (S.A. Road) from the Vyttila metro station to Manorama Junction within four months.
The Corporation informed the Division Bench of Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice V.M. Syam Kumar that the estimate for the work had been revised from ₹10 crore to ₹12.55 crore, as the initially sanctioned amount would not be sufficient to proceed with the work. The court said there was no justification for delaying the work due to a revised estimate that had not been communicated earlier.
The court noted that even when the matter was last considered, there was no contention that the amount sanctioned by the government had to be increased due to the revised estimate. The court cited the report of the superintending engineer of the Corporation, which stated that the estimate of ₹10 crore was prepared in accordance with the specification rates of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. The rates were inclusive of GST compensation, contractor’s profit, and overheads as applicable, and the total estimated cost of the proposed work was ₹10 crore, including GST.
The court thus disposed of the public interest litigation (PIL) that raised concerns over the hazardous road conditions along the metro corridor due to the sinking of road surfaces near the metro pile caps, which had reportedly resulted in accidents and loss of lives.
Considering the petition, the court had directed the State to immediately identify, level, and permanently rectify all road surface protrusions and uneven portions surrounding metro pillars. It had also ordered the installation of effective safety measures such as high-visibility warning signage, reflective road markers, rumble strips, and impact-absorbing protective installations around metro pillars at all identified hazardous locations.
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