Main Central Road


The Main Central Road, better known as MC Road is the arterial State Highway in the Travancore region of Kerala state, India. It is designated as SH 1 by the Kerala Public Works Department. The highway was built by Raja Kesavadas, Dewan of Travancore.

Route

This road starts from National Highway 66 at Kesavadasapuram in Thiruvananthapuram the capital city of Kerala and rejoins the NH 544 at Angamaly a suburb of Kochi city in Ernakulam district. The MC Road passes through Venjaramoodu, Kilimanoor, Nilamel, Ayoor, Kottarakkara, Adoor, Pandalam, Chengannur, Tiruvalla, Changanassery, Kottayam, Ettumanoor, Kuravilangad, Monippally, Koothattukulam, Muvattupuzha, Pezhakkappilly, Mannoor, Pulluvazhy, Perumbavoor and Kalady. Before NH 544 was built through Angamaly, MC road extended up to Karukutty village 6 km away from Angamaly town in the Chalakudy road. Few section of this road is upgraded to NH 220.

Significance

MC Road is a popular route to access the shrine of Sabarimala. It covers many important towns of Central and South Kerala.

KSTP road development

The MC road is being renovated under the World Bank aided 'Kerala State Transport Project '. The upgrading is being carried out in two phases.
;Phase 1
In phase 1, two stretches, Thaikkod - Chengannur and Muvattupuzha - Angamaly were upgraded and works were completed in 2010. In addition, a new road link to NH 66 has been completed between Thaikkod and Vetturoad.
;Phase 2
In phase 2, the Chengannur - Ettumanoor 47 km stretch is upgraded. The road has a total width of 10 metres and facilitate two-lane traffic. The road also have a 7-metre carriageway and a sealed shoulder, having width of 1.5 metres. The project also features protection walls and adequate drainage facilities. The construction of seven bridges has also been envisaged as part of the project. This includes the constructions at Neelimangalam, Manipuzha, Pannikuzhy, Arattukadavu, Illimala, Thondara and Kallissery. In addition, three existing bridges along the route is also widened. The work was launched on 14 September 2014 and completed in 2018.

Survelliance

The Motor Vehicles Department, in partnership with the Kerala Road Safety Authority and the police has installed automatic traffic enforcement camera systems in between Venjaramoodu - Chengannur section of MC road for detecting speed violations of vehicles.

Main Intersections