NH-66 Disaster in Kerala: Congress and CM Demand Accountability from NHAI

A section of National Highway 66 collapsed in Kerala’s Kollam district on Friday evening, triggering panic among local residents and commuters.

The section of the highway, along with a nearby service road, caved in at Mylakkadu in Chathannur, close to Kottiyam. No casualties were reported, though several vehicles, including a school bus, were stranded on the damaged stretch.

The collapse occurred after the retaining wall of an under-construction flyover gave way, dragging the newly built service road down with it. Following the incident, traffic towards both Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam came to a complete standstill.

Local MLA G.A. Jayalal rushed to the spot, while Kerala PWD Minister P A Mohammad Riyas ordered an immediate probe and instructed his secretary to seek an urgent report from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

The incident has once again raised serious concerns over the safety and quality of construction on NH-66, one of the state’s most politically sensitive and debated infrastructure projects.

It also reignited political tensions, with sharp exchanges between the ruling Left, the Congress, and the BJP-led Centre.

NH-66 has become a symbol of what happens when warnings are ignored and public safety is treated as an afterthought.

The collapse in Mylakkadu, Kollam is not an accident — it is the direct result of flawed designs, overlooked alerts, and a construction process tainted by haste… pic.twitter.com/W6BaXl3lYV

— Congress (@INCIndia) December 6, 2025

The Congress accused the authorities of ignoring repeated warnings and compromising public safety, calling the collapse the result of flawed designs, rushed construction and corruption. Kerala Congress also pointed to an earlier incident near Kottakkal, questioning the quality of construction and alleging inflated contract values.

During Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor called for immediate intervention, citing multiple incidents along NH-66, including beam failures and structural collapses.

He alleged poor planning, unsafe diversions and inadequate lighting, especially along the 12.7-km Aroor–Thuravoor stretch. Tharoor demanded a comprehensive safety audit, accountability of NHAI officials, suspension of high-risk construction, and swift compensation for victims.

Senior Congress leader K C Venugopal further blamed NHAI for repeated lapses in execution.

NH-66 collapsed in Kerala once again, this time near Kottiyam, Kollam. The embankment collapsed even when there was no rain and relatively dry situation.

Four vehicles got trapped as you can see, and luckily there were no causalities. Couple of months ago, a similar incident… pic.twitter.com/nLQrH4hNF8

— Congress Kerala (@INCKerala) December 6, 2025

In response, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan defended the state government, clarifying that national highway projects fall entirely under the jurisdiction of NHAI.

He stated that the state PWD has no role in the design, technical clearance or construction of national highways. While acknowledging that some lapses may be occurring within the NHAI system, he cautioned against generalising the entire NH-66 project based on a single incident.

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