KOCHI: The revival of the long-delayed Seaport-Airport Road project has entered the fast lane, with preparatory work commencing on the HMT-NAD section on Wednesday in the presence of Industries Minister P Rajeeve.
The minister later told reporters that tender procedures for the stretch, part of the project’s second phase, would be completed by March 1, following which the road construction would begin. Once completed, the new stretch will link the Seaport-Airport Road to a 1.9-kilometre section built in 2021 after acquiring private land in HMT Colony, Kalamassery. The development is expected to bring relief to local residents who have been demanding completion of the corridor for over two decades.
While the first phase work began in 2003, the project remained stalled.“It was delays in securing land from the central government that stalled the project,” Rajeeve said. According to him, the Centre was not willing to hand over land belonging to HMT and the Naval Armament Depot (NAD) in time for the project. That was despite Kerala’s own A K Antony serving as the defence minister for a term, the minister pointed out.
“Kerala had eight Union ministers between 2009 and 2014. Even the state public works minister from 2011 to 2016 represented Kalamassery. But the issue remained unresolved,” Rajeeve said, in an indirect jab at the Congress. After the LDF government assumed office in 2016, construction began on stretches that did not require central land. Following its return to power in 2021, the government deposited compensation in court to secure HMT land, in line with High Court directives.
“It was continued engagement with the defence department, NAD, and the Southern Naval Command that eventually enabled the state government to acquire the land,” pointed out Rajeeve, who too, interestingly, represents the Kalamassery constituency.
Land acquired
The state government acquired 2.4967 hectares of NAD land for I23.11 crore. In addition, I17.31 crore was sanctioned to widen and develop the nearby Thorappu road as part of the agreement for land transfer. For the HMT land, I37.90 crore was deposited in a bank as directed by HC. With this, the land belonging to both NAD and HMT has been handed over to the Roads and Bridges Development Corporation of Kerala.
Two phases
First phase: A 11.3-km section from Irumpanam to HMT road. Work began in 2003
Second phase: A 14.4-km section from HMT road to the airport. Includes the HMT-NAD stretch