Main Eastern Highway

The Main Eastern Highway is the lifeline of the high range townships of the Travancore region of Kerala state, India. It is also known as Punalur-Muvattupuzha Highway. Main Eastern Highway is categorized as State Highway - 08 ( SH-08 ) of Kerala. It is the second longest State Highway of Kerala covering a distance of 153.6 km. The districts it passes through are Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Idukki and Ernakulam.

State Highway 8
Main Eastern Highway
Map of the State Highway in red
Route information
Maintained by Kerala Public Works Department
Length153.6 km (95.4 mi)
Major junctions
South-East endPunalur, Kollam district, Kerala
 Pathanapuram, Konni, Ranni, Manimala, Ponkunnam, Pala, Thodupuzha.
North-East endMuvattupuzha, Eranakulam district, Kerala.
Location
DistrictsKollam, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam
Primary
destinations		Pathanapuram
Konni
Ranni
Pala
Thodupuzha
Highway system
  • Expressways
  • National
  • State
  • State Highways in Kerala
Ghat section of The Main Eastern Highway
Pathanamthitta town is on The Main Eastern Highway
A sign-board that indicates the direction to Sabarimala. The multilingual board is written in Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu language and English language
Large rubber plantations are generally seen along the Main Eastern Highway
A journey through The Main Eastern Highway is a refreshing experience

It interconnects the townships of Punalur, Pathanapuram, Koodal, Konni, Pathanamthitta, Ranni, Manimala, Ponkunnam, Pala, Thodupuzha to the main intersection at Muvattupuzha merging to MC Road which extends northwards till Angamaly at NH 66.

The Significance

The economy of the High-Ranges of South and Central Kerala largely depends on the Main Eastern Highway. The main trunk road to Sabarimala, Kerala's Largest Pilgrim Centre starts from Main Eastern Highway near Pathanamthitta. Though it is the shortest route to Angamaly and Northern Kerala townships from Punalur, (The Second Largest City of Kollam District) and in turn from the Tamil Nadu townships Tenkasi, Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi. It is not developed to its capacity. It acts as a parallel road to the Main Central Road. (M.C.Road/SH-01). It is also the Shortest route to the Kerala State Capital Thiruvananthapuram from Kumali and other major townships of Idukki district Like Munnar, Kattappana, Thodupuzha, Moolamattam, Nedumkandam etc.

KSTP Project

The upgrading work of Punalur -Ponkunnam-Thodupuzha stretch is currently under progress as part of the World Bank funded Kerala State Transport Project (KSTP).[1]

Districts connected by Main Eastern Highway

The districts Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam are connected by Main eastern highway or SH8.

Townships on the Main Eastern Highway

The townships Punalur, Alimukku, , Pathanapuram, Koodal, Konni, Kumbazha, Ranni, Manimala, Ponkunnam, Pala, Thodupuzha, Muvattupuzha comes under the Main eastern highway road

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References
  1. KSTP Phase II work on the slow lane

See also
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