NH66 Panvel to Kanyakumari: Fact guide

The National Highway-66 (NH66) formerly known as NH17 is a 1,608 km four-lane national highway that crosses Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Table of Contents

See also: NH47: Connects Gujarat to Maharashtra

NH66: Route description

It begins at the National Highway-48 (former NH4) intersection in Panvel and ends at Kanyakumari. The majority of the NH66’s route runs along India’s west coast, occasionally brushing against the Arabian Sea’s coastlines. At Maravanthe in Karnataka, Thalassery, and Alappuzha in Kerala, the NH66 touches the Arabian Sea.

The NH66 links the following cities, towns and villages across the five states.

Maharashtra: Panvel, Pen, Mangaon, Mahad, Poladpur, Khed, Chiplun, Sangameshwar, Ratnagiri, Lanja, Rajapur, Kankavli, Kudal, Sawantwadi
Goa: Panaji, Margao
Karnataka: Karwar, Ankola, Kumta, Honnavar, Manki, Murudeshwar, Bhatkal, Shiroor, Baindur, Uppunda, Navunda, Maravanthe, Hemmadi, Tallur, Kundapura, Koteshwar, Kota, Saligrama, Brahmavar, Udupi, Kapu, Padubidri, Mulki, Surathkal, Mangaluru, Thokottu, Ullal, Kotekar, Talapady
Kerala: Manjeshwaram, Kasaragod, Kanhangad, Payyannur Pariyaram, Taliparamba, Dharmashala, Chovva, Dharmadam, Thalassery, Mahe, Vatakara, Payyoli, Koyilandy, Kozhikode, Ramanattukara, Thenhipalam, Kottakkal, Puthanathani, Valanchery, Kuttippuram, Thavanur , Ponnani, Chavakkad, Vadanappally, Kodungallur, Moothakunnam, North Paravur, Koonammavu, Varapuzha, Cheranallur, Edappally, Kochi, Cherthala, Alappuzha, Ambalapuzha, Haripad, Kayamkulam, Karunagappally, Chavara, Neendakara, Kollam, Mevaram, Kottiyam, Chathannoor, Kallambalam, Attingal, Kazhakkoottam, Thiruvananthapuram, Balaramapuram, Neyyattinkara, Parassala
Tamil Nadu: Marthandam, Nagercoil and Kanyakumari

NH66: Major intersections

State	District	Location	km	mi	Destinations	Notes
Maharashtra	Raigad	Panvel	0	0	NH48	The northern end of the highway.
		Vadkhal	33	21	NH166A
	Ratnagiri	Chiplun	203	126	NH166E
		Hatkhamba	277	172	NH166 to Ratnagiri
Goa	North Goa	Panaji	497	309	NH748
	South Goa	Cortalim	512	318	NH366 to Vasco da Gama	route to Goa Airport
		Verna	516	321	NH566 to Vasco da Gama	route to Goa Airport
Karnataka	Uttar Kannada	Ankola	622	386	NH52 to Hubli
		Honnavar	704	437	NH69
	Udupi	Udupi	806	501	NH169A
	Dakshina Kannada	Mangalore	865	537	NH169 / NH73
Kerala	Kozhikode	Malaparamba	1,079	670	NH766 to Wayanad, Mysore, Kollegal
		Ramanattukara	1,095	680	NH966 to Malappuram, Palakkad
	Ernakulam	Cheranallur	1,245	774	NH966A to Vallarpadam, International Container Transshipment Terminal, Kochi
		Edapally	1,250	780	NH544 to Salem
		Kundannoor	1,260	780	NH85 to Munnar NH966B to Willingdon Island, Cochin Port	Southern Naval Command headquarters – INS Venduruthy
	Kollam	Chavara	1,377	856	NH183A
		Kadavoor	1,391	864	NH183 – Anchalumoodu, Kollam
		Kallumthazham	1,395	867	NH744 – Punalur, Kollam
Tamil Nadu	Kanyakumari	Nagercoil	1,525	948	NH944
Tamil Nadu	Kanyakumari	Kanyakumari	1,544	959	NH44	Southern end of the highway.

NH66: Connectivity and significance

The only mode of transportation along the west coast of India that borders the Arabian Sea was ships and steamers that travelled between Mumbai and Mangalore and called at various ports before NH66, previously known as NH17, was built in the 1960s and 1970s. Later, these shipping services were discontinued. The interior of the coastal regions is connected to the rest of the nation by NH66.

The NH66 links the seaports of West India, including Mumbai, the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) at Nhava Sheva, the Vizhinjam International Seaport Limited (VISL) at Trivandrum, the Mormugao Port Trust (MPT), the New Mangalore Port (NMPT), the International Container Transshipment Terminal (ICTT) Kochi, the Kollam Port, the Ratnagiri Port and the Beypore Port.

The NH66 enables the transportation of goods by road from the hinterland to India’s principal seaports. Due to this, trade and commerce in the area have flourished.

The NH66 has also contributed to the growth of tourism in the area it connects. For instance, Goa.

Upgrades in NH66

In Karnataka, upon the NHAI’s request for a national highway that is 60 meter wide and features grade separators, the highway is currently being upgraded. From the Goa border (near Karwar) to the Kerala border (near Talapady), the entire line is being widened to four lanes, with room for a potential expansion to six lanes in the future.

FAQs

How long does NH66 run in total?

The NH66 is about 1,608 kilometre.

Which national highway in Kerala is the shortest?

The shortest national highway in Kerala is National Route -966B, which is 8 km. It begins at Kundannoor in Kochi, Kerala and ends at Willingdon Island.

Got any questions or point of view on our article? We would love to hear from you. Write to our Editor-in-Chief Jhumur Ghosh at [email protected]

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