Nettoor, situated south of Kundannoor Junction on the Edappally-Aroor NH 66 bypass, is poised to become a central hub for four National Highway (NH) corridors, mirroring the success of Edappally. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has proposed a 6-kilometer port connectivity NH corridor (NH 966-B) that will link the NH bypass and Willingdon Island, with Nettoor as its starting point. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) approved the four-lane NH alignment in November, and the commencement of land acquisition, indicated by the 3(A) notification, is expected within a week.
Nettoor will also be the starting point for the Kundannoor-Angamaly NH 66 bypass and the Kochi-Theni Greenfield NH 85 corridor. NHAI is considering a trumpet flyover in Nettoor to efficiently manage the flow of vehicles from these highway stretches. Once completed, Nettoor will serve as a convergence point for container lorries and other vehicles from the port, facilitating their journey to northern districts and Tuticorin Port through the two other highway corridors originating from the area. Nettoor was chosen as the starting point due to limited land availability at Kundannoor Junction, where the existing two-lane port connectivity highway and the two-lane Kochi-Theni highway begin.
The proposed port connectivity highway will run parallel to the existing two-lane highway for three kilometers, followed by a three-kilometer greenfield alignment. Approximately three kilometers of the alignment will traverse above the backwaters. Land acquisition for the 45-meter-wide highway is expected to be completed by the end of January, involving the acquisition of around 75 houses and other structures. Tenders for the crucial highway corridor are anticipated to be floated in March, with the road expected to open to traffic by September 2025. The highway will feature a four-meter-wide median, according to sources.