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.
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 | |
| 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.
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