ALAPPUZHA: The flooding of sections of the recently rebuilt Alappuzha–Changanassery (AC) Road has triggered fresh questions over the flood resilience of one of Kerala’s flagship infrastructure projects, months after it was inaugurated with assurances that it would withstand future floods.
The 24.14-km corridor, developed under the Rebuild Kerala Initiative at a cost of about ₹672 crore as Kerala’s first semi-elevated highway, was inaugurated by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on March 7, 2026. At the inauguration, the government said the road had been rebuilt to ensure uninterrupted connectivity even during periods of heavy rainfall and flooding.
However, following heavy rains this week, water inundated portions of the highway, disrupting traffic and prompting criticism over whether the project has delivered on its stated objective of improving flood resilience.
The project was initiated during the tenure of former Public Works Minister G. Sudhakaran under the Kerala State Transport Project (KSTP) and completed during the tenure of Public Works Minister Mohammed Riyas. The development has therefore renewed calls for a technical assessment of the project’s design, execution, and performance under flood conditions.
Infrastructure experts and political observers say the key issue is not merely the occurrence of flooding but whether the highway has performed in line with the standards and assurances presented when the project was conceived and inaugurated. A detailed technical review, they argue, would help determine whether the inundation resulted from exceptional hydrological conditions, drainage constraints, or shortcomings in planning or execution.
As public investment in climate-resilient infrastructure continues to grow, the AC Road episode underscores the importance of transparent evaluation and accountability to ensure that major infrastructure projects meet their intended objectives.
