Thu Dec 11 12:49:42 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary of the text, followed by a rewritten version as a news article:
Summary:
Following the collapse of a reinforced soil (RS) wall on the NH-66 expansion project in Kerala, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has launched a comprehensive geotechnical investigation across all 18 NH-66 projects in the state. 18 agencies will test 378 RS wall locations for soil stability due to the failure at Mylakkadu being linked to a deep-seated shear or bearing capacity failure. Expert committees are involved in investigating the Mylakkadu incident and implementing recommendations from a previous similar incident. A safety audit, already underway for another section of the NH-66 after a separate incident, will be expanded to cover all projects. The NHAI states that design and construction will be re-evaluated based on the investigations and complete reconstruction of walls may be necessary, with quality standards confirmed before acceptance.
News Article:
NHAI Launches Sweeping Investigation into Kerala Highway Project Following Wall Collapse
KOLLAM, Kerala – December 11, 2025 – The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has initiated a comprehensive geotechnical investigation into the NH-66 expansion project across Kerala, following the recent collapse of a reinforced soil (RS) wall at Mylakkadu in Kollam. The incident has raised serious concerns about the structural integrity of reinforced soil structures along the critical highway corridor.
Eighteen geotechnical agencies have been contracted by the NHAI to conduct rigorous soil sampling and testing at 378 RS wall locations across all 18 ongoing and planned NH-66 projects in the state. The extensive audit will cover sites in various stages of development – already constructed, currently under construction, and those yet to commence.
According to preliminary NHAI assessments, the Mylakkadu wall collapse, part of an approach structure to a vehicular underpass on the Kollam–Kadambattukonam section of NH-66, was caused by a “deep-seated shear or bearing capacity failure.” This indicates that the soil beneath the foundation was too weak to support the weight of the wall and the surrounding earth fill. The 9.4-metre-high wall crumbled, prompting immediate concerns about the safety of other similar structures.
“We are taking this matter with the utmost seriousness,” said an NHAI spokesperson. “No RS wall will be accepted until this stringent review process is complete and quality standards are fully confirmed.”
A high-level expert committee, including Jimmy Thomas (IIT-Kanpur) and T.K. Sudheesh (IIT-Palakkad), was dispatched to the Mylakkadu site on December 6th to investigate the causes of the collapse and recommend corrective actions. The NHAI has also stated it’s acting on findings from a previous expert committee formed after a similar embankment collapse in Malappuram.
The NHAI had already commissioned RITES to conduct a targeted safety audit of the Aroor-Thuravoor elevated road project after girders fell in November. This audit is now being expanded to cover all NH-66 projects in Kerala, aiming to identify and address any potential safety hazards across the entire corridor.
The geotechnical agencies are expected to deploy multiple drilling rigs within the next 7-10 days and complete tests at 100 locations within the first month. The entire assessment is slated to be finalized within three months.
Based on the findings of the investigations, the NHAI will re-evaluate the design and construction of every single RS wall. Remedial measures, including the potential dismantling and complete reconstruction of walls, will be implemented wherever necessary.
First Piper 