The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has taken strict punitive action following the collapse of the elevated portion of National Highway-66 in Malappuram district of Kerala. The construction and consultancy firms responsible for the project have been barred from participating in any national highway tenders for two years, effective May 19 2025. Additionally, the Centre has withdrawn the bank guarantees furnished by both firms, signaling a strong warning on accountability and public safety.

The incident has caused significant concern at the national level as the collapsed section was part of a major arterial route through northern Kerala, connecting the districts of Malappuram Kozhikode Kasaragod and Thrissur. The portion of the elevated road that collapsed was reportedly under construction, raising alarming questions over quality control, design flaws, and structural integrity.

The action comes shortly after Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) MP E T Muhammad Basheer, who represents Malappuram in the Lok Sabha, met with Union Minister for Surface Transport Nitin Gadkari on May 21 2025. During the meeting, the MP expressed serious concerns about ongoing structural issues and public safety risks associated with NH-66 and demanded a thorough inquiry.

Minister Gadkari reportedly assured prompt action and subsequently announced the debarment of the two firms. The Centre has also constituted an expert committee to conduct a preliminary inquiry into the collapse. The panel is headed by Professor G V Rao, a respected civil engineering expert and retired faculty from IIT Delhi.

According to initial reports, the collapse occurred during routine construction activity and no fatalities were reported, but several workers sustained injuries and nearby areas experienced major traffic disruption. Eyewitness accounts suggest that a segment of the elevated structure buckled without warning, causing concrete and steel to crash onto the work site and adjacent service roads.

This is not the first time NH-66 has been under scrutiny. The highway, which is a part of India's larger Bharatmala project, has faced repeated delays and technical issues since the beginning of its expansion phase in Kerala. Numerous stretches have been criticized for substandard construction and unscientific execution, leading to public protests and political backlash.

The expert panel led by Prof G V Rao will conduct a technical audit of not only the collapsed section but also other segments of NH-66 in the region. The panel is expected to submit a detailed preliminary report within 30 days, focusing on design shortcomings, construction quality, soil and load assessments, and adherence to safety protocols.

A senior official from the Ministry stated that contractors will no longer be allowed to compromise public safety, and that this case will serve as a precedent for strict enforcement. He added that the withdrawal of bank guarantees, a rarely used punitive measure, underlines the government’s zero-tolerance policy toward infrastructure negligence.

Meanwhile, local residents and social organizations have welcomed the Centre's swift action but demanded further accountability. Many have called for criminal proceedings against those responsible for certifying the project’s progress despite warning signs and alleged construction shortcuts.

Political leaders in Kerala, cutting across party lines, have joined the chorus for more stringent third-party safety audits of all under-construction and recently completed flyovers and elevated highways in the state. Several MLAs have also written to the Kerala Public Works Department (PWD) and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) demanding a transparent public disclosure of audit reports.

IUML MP Basheer, speaking to the media after his meeting with Minister Gadkari, said that public safety must come before bureaucratic protocols. He reiterated his commitment to ensure that national highway infrastructure in Kerala meets modern engineering standards and that those responsible for engineering lapses are brought to book.

This incident also puts a spotlight on the larger issue of quality assurance mechanisms in India's ongoing highway modernization initiatives. Experts say that while the country has made significant strides in expanding its road networks, oversight on quality, vendor accountability, and third-party inspection systems remain patchy and under-enforced.

The Centre's decision to debar the NH-66 contractors and initiate an expert-led investigation is expected to reverberate through the infrastructure development sector, urging companies to adhere more strictly to specifications and engineering best practices.

As the expert panel begins its field study and data collection, the people of Kerala, especially those who frequently use NH-66, await not just answers but concrete steps to prevent future disasters. The issue is expected to be raised in Parliament’s upcoming Monsoon session, and the Ministry has hinted at possible revisions in contract awarding procedures and stricter project monitoring protocols across all states.

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