KOLLAM: The Kappalandi Mukku - Ashramam Muneeswaran Kovil four-lane road constructed by the Kollam Corporation under the Kerala Sustainable Urban Development Project will be inaugurated on Tuesday.
Cooperation Minister G Sudhakaran will inaugurate the 3.48-km road constructed at a cost of Rs 15.21 crore at a function to be held on the Kadappakkada Sports Club premises at 9 a.m. Mayor V Rajendrababu will preside over the function. Deputy Mayor N Rajan will welcome the gathering. MPs N Peethambara Kurup, K N Balagopal and District Collector Devendrakumar Dhodawat will offer felicitations.
Controversies
The four-laning of the road had created many a controversy as over 100 avenue trees, some of them over a century old, had to be felled. When the greens created impediments through litigations in the High Court and the Human Rights Commission, some of the trees were saved from the axe. However, the adamant stand of then Mayor N Padmalochanan helped materialise the dream project.
As part of the efforts, he had to face the brunt of attack as some of the worship places had to be demolished to acquire land. His parleys with some RSS leaders helped to create an atmosphere congenial for the demolishing of some temple structures clearing a major hurdle for road widening.
With the new-found friendship with the RSS leaders, he had to oblige their request to inaugurate the reception committee office of RSS Prant Sanghik held here last year. But his detractors in the party found it a golden opportunity to demand his resignation as Mayor.