Idukki Hill Highway Run on Sunday

Fitness icon and actor Milind Soman is set to headline the ’Hill Highway Run’ along a scenic stretch of Idukki’s hill highway on Sunday (February 22). According to officials, the 20-km run will begin at 7 a.m. from Marian College, Kuttikkanam, where Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine will flag off the event.

The run has been divided into two principal segments. Mr. Soman will first cover the stretch from Kuttikkanam to Chappath. He will then travel in an open multi-utility vehicle (MUV) to Irupathekkar, near Kattappana, before resuming the final leg of the run to the Kattappana Municipal Stadium. Mr. Augustine will also inaugurate the valedictory function at the stadium.

The event will see participation from a diverse range of groups, including women’s biking collectives, skating teams, motorbike riders, and cycling clubs. Officials said nearly 2,000 participants have registered through the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) website.

At a preparatory meeting, Idukki District Collector Dineshan Cheruvatt directed officials to finalise all security arrangements. The event will strictly adhere to green protocol guidelines. To ensure safety, medical teams and ambulances will be stationed at various points along the route, with doctors on duty throughout the duration of the run.

The 40.05-km Idukki hill highway project was implemented with an administrative sanction of ₹203.36 crore from the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board. Executed in phases, the first stretch covered Kuttikkanam to Chappath, with subsequent phases extending to Kattappana and Puliyanmala. Built to international standards, the highway features nine-metre-wide Bituminous Macadam and Bituminous Concrete (BMBC) surfacing, Irish drainage systems, and modern infrastructure such as bus shelters, culverts, and improved traffic safety markings.