This document is the response to Unstarred Question No. 101 in the Lok Sabha, answered on January 29, 2026, concerning the status of National Highways NH-183 and NH-185 in Kerala. The response, provided by the Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Shri Nitin Jairam Gadkari, addresses questions from ADV Dean Kuriakose regarding progress, status, alignment approvals, and Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for land acquisition.
NH-183 from Kollam to Kumily (Kerala-Tamil Nadu border) is approximately 215 km long. Initially planned as a two-lane carriageway with paved shoulders, it was decided on February 4, 2025, to develop it as a four-lane highway due to current traffic levels. The DPR submitted for the Kollam-Anjilimoodu stretch is under scrutiny due to high land acquisition costs and the presence of residential structures in congested areas. DPR preparation is underway for the remaining stretch from Anjilimoodu to Kumily.
NH-185 from Adimali (on NH-85) to Kumily (on NH-183) has a length of about 96 km. Land acquisition was initiated with a Section 3A notification under the National Highways Act, 1956, in March 2022. The proposed Right of Way (RoW) was revised to 30 m, and a fresh Section 3A notification was issued in December 2024. The revised alignment was approved on August 14, 2024. Considering existing traffic levels and high land acquisition costs, a decision has been made to examine restricting the proposed RoW to 18 m or up to a maximum of 24 m. The project is being recast for appraisal and sanction.
Key Entities Referenced
National Highways Act, 1956, Section 3A: Governs land acquisition for national highway projects; Section 3A is specifically mentioned in the context of notifications.
NH-183: National Highway 183, specifically the Mundakkayam-Kumily section, its status and progress are central to the question.
NH-185: National Highway 185, specifically the Adimali-Kumily section, its status and progress are central to the question.
Kerala: The state where the NH-183 and NH-185 projects are located, determining the geographical scope of the policy.
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways: The ministry responsible for the development of national highways in India and the responder to the parliamentary question.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 101
ANSWERED ON 29th JANUARY, 2026
STATUS OF NH-183 AND NH-185 IN KERALA
101. ADV DEAN KURIAKOSE
Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार् ग मत्रं ी
(a) The current progress and status of NH-183 Mundakkayam–
Kumily and NH-185 Adimali–Kumily Highway in Kerala;
(b) Whether the Government has given the approval for alignments
and also for the Detailed Project Reports for the land acquisition
project to be initiated; and
(c) If so, the details thereof.
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
(SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)
(a) to (c) NH-183 from Kollam to Kumily (Kerala–Tamil Nadu border)
has a total length of about 215 km. This stretch was initially
planned as a two-lane carriageway with paved shoulders; however,
based on present traffic levels, it has been decided on 04.02.2025 to
develop it as a four-lane highway. The Detailed Project Report (DPR)
submitted for the Kollam–Anjilimoodu stretch is under scrutiny,
particularly in view of high cost of land acquisition and the presence
of residential structures in congested locations. For the remaining
stretch from Anjilimoodu to Kumily (Kerala–Tamil Nadu border),
preparation of DPR has been taken up.
NH-185 from Adimali (on NH-85) to Kumily (on NH-183) has a length
of about 96 km. Land acquisition was initiated with issue ofnotification under Section 3A of the National Highways Act, 1956 in
March 2022. Subsequently, the proposed Right of Way (RoW) was
revised to 30 m and a fresh Section 3A notification was issued in
December 2024. The revised alignment was approved on
14.08.2024. Considering existing traffic levels and high land
acquisition costs, it has been decided to examine restriction of the
proposed RoW to 18 m or up to a maximum of 24 m. The project is
being recast for appraisal & sanction.
*****