THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Uncertainty surrounding compensation for landowners who surrendered plots for the long-pending Outer Ring Road (ORR) project is set to come to an end, with the Union ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH) promising to compensate them within 45 days.
It has been four years since around 6,500 families surrendered their land for the Vizhinjam-Navaikulam ORR project. Despite repeated protests, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the state government failed to provide compensation to those affected.
In a recent directive, the Kerala High Court ordered senior NHAI officials to appear in person over the delay in disbursing compensation. The directive came after NHAI repeatedly failed to submit an affidavit explaining when compensation would be paid, as demanded by the court. On Tuesday, MoRTH secretary V Umashankar appeared before the court via video link.
“There was repeated non-compliance on the part of the NHAI. Families have been suffering for the past four years, even though we surrendered our land in the public interest for a major infrastructure project that will benefit the state,” said Ajith G, president of the Vizhinjam ORR Land Owners Welfare Movement. “The court expressed dissatisfaction with the continuous absence of NHAI officials during the hearings.
On Tuesday, the MoRTH Secretary informed the court that approval from the finance secretary for the compensation package had already been secured and that only the approval of the Union Finance Minister and the Union Cabinet remained pending,” Ajith added. The ministry assured the court that all approvals required for the disbursal of compensation would be obtained within a period of 45 days.