Thiruvananthapuram | Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday directed that national highway works be completed quickly without compromising on technical standards.

He was speaking at a review meeting held on matters related to highways.

In the meeting, the chief minister noted that while the National Highways Authority has generally been performing well, there has been a slowdown in certain areas.

Work has been sluggish in places including Vatakara, Thuravoor and Thiruvananthapuram, he pointed out.

Vijayan urged the highway authorities to take strict action against contractors for the slow pace of work.

"In Nadal, Kannur district, an underpass that allows bus movement needs to be constructed. Both bus operators and local residents have been protesting, as buses are currently forced to travel up to Chala before returning. The issue should be treated as a special case and action must be taken," the CM said.

He stressed that construction work should not face obstructions.

"District Collectors and Police Chiefs concerned should take the initiative to resolve such issues through discussions. Considering Kerala's geography and population density, works must be planned accordingly," he added.

The CM also directed that arbitration cases should be settled within a fixed timeframe.

The meeting also reviewed deadlines for the completion of 642 km of road across 17 stretches. Of this, 480 km is expected to be completed by December 2025, and a total of 560 km by March 2026, a CMO release said.

The review meeting was attended by Public Works Minister P A Mohamed Riyas, Industries Minister P Rajeev, Electricity Minister K Krishnankutty, Chief Secretary V Jayathilak, Additional Chief Secretary Bishwanath Sinha, State Police Chief Ravada Chandrasekhar, PWD Secretary K Biju, District Collectors, and National Highways Authority Regional Officer Col A K Janbaz, among others.