Marking a historic milestone in its century-long legacy, the Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society (ULCCS) has been conferred the prestigious National Highways Excellence Award 2023 by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).
The award was presented by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari at a ceremony held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
The event was graced by several key dignitaries, including Harsh Malhotra, Minister of State for MoRTH and Corporate Affairs; Dr. V.K. Saraswat, Member, NITI Aayog; V. Umashankar, Secretary, MoRTH; and Santosh Kumar Yadav, Chairman, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), among others.
On behalf of ULCCS, Chief Project Manager T.K. Kishor Kumar and Manager M.V. Sumesh received the award, reaffirming the credibility of cooperative enterprises in India’s infrastructure development journey.
Reacting to the recognition, ULCCS Chairman Rameshan Paleri stated, “This award is a recognition of the cooperative values that have guided ULCCS for over a century. It reflects our commitment to people-centric development and performance-driven execution. The Thalappadi–Chengala project exemplifies how strong community-based teamwork can deliver infrastructure that truly makes a difference.”
The award particularly highlights ULCCS’s exceptional performance on the Thalappadi–Chengala six-laning project, part of the Government of India’s flagship Bharatmala Pariyojana. ULCCS is the first among all executing agencies in Kerala to reach near completion of its assigned stretch, with over 90% of the work completed ahead of schedule.
In addition to this recognition, ULCCS was earlier honoured with the ‘Best Performer Award’ by NHAI in April 2024, underlining its consistent national-level performance in infrastructure delivery.
Founded over 100 years ago, ULCCS has evolved into one of India’s most successful worker cooperatives, widely respected for its unwavering commitment to quality, transparency, and social responsibility.
It is worth recalling that Union Minister Nitin Gadkari had earlier lauded ULCCS on completing 100 years of excellence, acknowledging its significant contributions to Kerala’s infrastructure development and its exemplary role as a model cooperative enterprise.