THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The land acquisition for the development of Karamana-Vellarada Road connecting Poojapura, Peyad, Kattakada, and Kallikadu, has gained momentum with the Road Infrastructure Company of Kerala (RICK), the implementing agency, revitalising the project. The project will be completed at a cost of `225.3 crore. It had come to a standstill during the pandemic, and the land acquisition proceedings were moving at a snail’s pace. The land acquisition gathered pace recently after a new team was constituted by the PWD to lead RICK.
RICK is a special purpose vehicle formed by the state government to implement the State Road Improvement Project (SRIP), with the objective of developing an excellent, state-of-the art road network by improving the existing state highways and major district roads in the state.
Earlier, the revenue department had approved the acquisition of land for the project. However, preliminary proceedings for acquisition of land were completed only for 5.5-km stretch of the 35.5 km Karamana-Kundamankadavu Road. There were some disputes between landowners and the revenue department pertaining to the land acquisition on other reaches. Though only a two-lane road is proposed, land acquisition is posing hurdles as over 2,000 commercial and residential buildings are situated on either side of the road.
According to RICK officials, the project on three reaches will be implemented in three phases. Proceedings of the first phase are in progress.
“The land acquisition proceedings for the entire stretch are in progress. The 11(1) notification for the first stretch from Karamana to Kundamankadavu has been published. Recently, the district collector had directed us to speed up the proceedings, and the process is on,” K R Madhumathi, managing director, RICK, told TNIE.
Earlier, the state government had accorded administrative sanction for the acquisition of 10.4651 hectares of land. The boundary stones have been laid on the entire stretch. Project sources said that an expert committee meeting was conducted and reports related to land acquisition were received for the second and third reach. The revenue authorities will publish a 19(1) notification for the first reach and 11 (1) notification for the second and third reach soon. As per the revenue authorities, a hearing for the resettlement and rehabilitation package for the first reach will be held soon.
The detailed project report for an amount of `225.3 crore was submitted to the government for approval, and a request has been sent to the government seeking sanction for funds for the work that comes under the renovation package. The first 20 km will be covered in the initial phase, and another 15.5 km in the second phase.
Meanwhile, a top revenue official said that the department is trying to complete the proceedings as soon as possible. Though the road will be upgraded with drains, footpaths, and street lights according to Indian Road Congress standards, it will be retained as a two-lane road. The stretch will decongest the Thiruvananthapuram-Kattakada Road and further up to Vellarada near the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border.