CM Pinarayi Vijayan Cites Decade of LDF Governance, Highlights Kuttanad Revival and Infrastruture Overhaul

Alappuzha: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday said that the transformations witnessed across Kerala over the past ten years of LDF governance stand as testament to the comprehensive progress achieved by the state, and called for a stronger mandate for the front to consolidate and build upon these gains.

Speaking at a press conference in Alappuzha, the Chief Minister said the government had approached the district's specific challenges — coastal protection, Kuttanad conservation, and infrastructure development — with scientific rigour and a long-term vision, and that the results were now visible.

Kuttanad Package: Protecting a Below-Sea-Level Farmland

Kuttanad, where agriculture is practised below sea level, had for years grappled with chronic flooding and waterlogging when the Kuttanad Package was first conceived. He said the initiative has since become the cornerstone of the region's comprehensive revival. Outer bunds were strengthened to protect paddy fields, and waterways were desilted to improve drainage. Infrastructure development was carried out across 192 paddy clusters, while conservation works were implemented in 85, together safeguarding over 11,437 hectares of agricultural land.

The efficacy of these interventions was demonstrated during the catastrophic 2018 floods, when paddy clusters with reinforced bunds continued cultivation while unprotected areas suffered total crop loss. Under the second phase of the package, a comprehensive scheme worth ₹2,447 crore was drawn up. Between 2019 and 2025, approximately ₹298 crore was spent, with 185 of 318 works completed. Flood control operations have been extended to over 16,000 hectares, 280 kilometres of waterways have been cleaned, and the Thanneermukkam Barrage and Thottappally Spillway have been renovated. The remaining 746 paddy clusters await protection works estimated at ₹1,398 crore.

Road and Bridge Infrastructure

The Alappuzha–Changanacherry (AC) road, which was severely damaged in the 2018 floods, has been rebuilt to international standards at a cost of ₹752 crore over a stretch of 24.164 kilometres from Changanacherry Perunna Junction to Kalarcode Junction. The flood-resilient highway incorporates three crossways, five flyovers, four major bridges, 13 minor bridges, and 73 culverts, directly connecting the Changanacherry, Kuttanad, and Ambalapuzha constituencies. The recently inaugurated Padaharam Bridge, linking Nedumudy and Thakazhi panchayats, is expected to further strengthen Kuttanad's transport network and unlock its tourism potential.

Over the past decade, approximately 18,000 of the 29,573 kilometres of roads under the Public Works Department have been upgraded to higher standards. Around 20,000 kilometres are now maintained under running contract arrangements. A total of 415 bridges were completed over ten years, including 221 during the current government's term — among them 44 through KIIFB. Fourteen railway overbridges were also completed in the past five years alone.

National Highways and Coastal Infrastructure

The Chief Minister noted that the LDF assumed office in 2016 at a time when the National Highways Authority of India had virtually wound down its Kerala operations. Since then, 492 of the 678 kilometres of national highway under development have been completed, including long-pending bypasses at Kollam, Alappuzha, Thalassery–Mahe, and Vengalam–Ramanattukara. Work on Kerala's first tunnel road project is also under way.

Of the 1,179.45-kilometre Hill Highway, 473.42 kilometres have been completed, with 793.68 kilometres being developed through KIIFB, for which full financial approval has been granted. The Coastal Highway, approved for 605 kilometres, is being developed over 507.865 kilometres through KIIFB, with financial sanction of ₹5,824 crore accorded.

Tourism at Record Highs

Kerala's tourism sector has recovered fully from the Covid-19 setback and is now registering all-time highs. In 2025, the state received 2,58,80,365 tourists, generating revenue of ₹50,000 crore — an increase of ₹5,000 crore over 2024. Tourist arrivals have broken records consecutively since 2023.

CM concluded by reiterating that sustaining this trajectory of welfare and development requires the LDF to return to power with an enhanced mandate, both in Alappuzha and across the state.