Residents, under the banner of Nileswaram NH-66 Janakeeya Samara Samiti, staged a protest march and dharna in front of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) project director’s office in Kannur on Thursday (July 30, 2026), demanding the construction of an elevated flyover at Nileswaram Market Junction instead of the proposed embankment as part of the National Highway 66 widening project.

The protesters alleged that the proposed seven-metre-high embankment at the junction was unscientific and would divide the town, besides creating severe traffic bottlenecks. They urged the NHAI to halt the embankment work and replace it with a flyover.

Besides residents, traders and representatives of various social and political organisations attended the protest meeting, which was chaired by Janakeeya Samara Samiti chairman T.C.V. Sreenath Sasi. General convener D. Rajan welcomed the gathering.

Samiti representatives said residents had been protesting against the embankment, claiming that it was being built on marshy land with loose clay soil, making the area unsuitable for the project owing to its poor load-bearing capacity.

The Samiti also claimed that the pressure exerted by the massive structure on weak soil could lead to lateral soil movement and landslides, potentially affecting the stability of a nearby school building.

The protesters also cited instances where embankments constructed as part of NH 66 widening at Cheruvathur and Perumba were later found to be unsafe, following which the NHAI reportedly decided to replace them with elevated flyovers. They demanded that similar steps be taken at Nileswaram too.

Published - July 30, 2026 09:25 pm IST