A section of the under-construction National Highway 66 near Kooriyad, Malappuram Kerala, India collapsed on May 19, 2025, injuring 7 people and damaging several vehicles. The incident happened around 2:30 PM and is now the epicenter of a national debate over engineering standards, regulatory oversight, and the cost of rushed infrastructure.
📉 What Went Wrong?
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NH 66 was being expanded into a six lane expressway on a dangerously narrow 45-meter corridor.✓
“Metro Man” E. Sreedharan publicly slammed the project, calling the design unscientific and unsafe especially the flyovers built on massive embankments in hilly terrain.✓
Post-collapse, the NHAI ,National Highways Authority of India admitted to lapses in construction quality.⚠️ Immediate Fallout
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KNR Constructions the main contractor and Highway Engineering Consultants the supervising firm have both been debarred from current and future bids.✓
Two senior NHAI officials were suspended.✓
A geotechnical team led by former IIT-Delhi Prof. G.V. Rao is now inspecting the site.💥 Why This Matters
India’s infra boom is one of the biggest in the world, and Kerala is pushing hard to catch up. But this collapse highlights how political deadlines, poor design, and cheap execution are leading to literal cracks in the foundation.
👷♂️ Bigger Picture?
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NH 66 is a critical coastal artery.✓
Monsoon has just begun, and parts of Kerala are already on red alert due to landslides and heavy flooding.✓
Infrastructure safety isn’t just about convenience it’s about lives.🧠 Thoughts?
Is this just another example of India's infrastructural growing pains?
Is it something deeper systemic corruption, unaccountable engineering, or just technocratic hubris?