THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The long-pending proposal to widen the Vazhayila-Nedumangad stretch -- that is part of the Thiruvananthapuram-Tenkasi interstate highway -- has moved one step closer to reality. The six-member committee, constituted to fix the new alignment and resolve the dispute with landowners based on the Social Impact Assessment (SIA) study, is likely to submit the report to the district collector soon. The committee already had discussions with landowners to allay their apprehensions over land acquisition.
As per initial reports, the landowners’ suggestion was to acquire more land owned by the Kerala Water Authority on one side of the stretch in Karakulam panchayat to avoid land acquisition in the densely populated region on the opposite side. The committee members, including the Karakulam panchayat vice-president, could allay the fears of landowners by making minor changes in the original alignment.
The committee report will also include the revised alignment. G R Anil, Minister for Food and Civil Supplies, who is also the Nedumangad legislator, told TNIE that further steps including land acquisition would begin only after clearly studying the report. “The committee members included two people’s representatives and four technical experts.
They have gone to the field and spoken to the landowners. some of the landowners have raised concerns. The members have taken all the aspects into consideration and the revenue authorities will take further action. Earlier, a two-day hearing was conducted regarding land acquisition. An SIA study was also conducted. It’s a major highway connecting Kerala with Tamil Nadu and key strategic institutes like IISER, IIST and ISRO units are located in these areas,” he said.
The six-member committee was constituted by the state government in October last year. The widening of the 11.8-km stretch from Vazhayila to Pazhakutty near Nedumangad is likely to reduce travel time and help reduce traffic congestion from the city to Nedumangad.
‘Report under preparation’
Jacob Sanjay John, Deputy Collector (Land Acquisition), said the report by the expert committee is under preparation and will be submitted soon. “As of now, the report is incomplete and the committee is working on it. It will be submitted to the collectorate soon and then to the government for further perusal. Only then will the land acquisition begin,” he said.
Rs 338.53 cr sanctioned
The Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board is funding the project and Kerala Road Fund Board is the implementing agency. So far, the government has sanctioned Rs 338.53 crore for the project. Of these, Rs 279.31 crore will be spent for road construction and Rs 59.22 crore for land acquisition. The land has to be acquired mainly in Karakulam panchayat and Nedumangad municipality.