THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The claim by Cultural Affairs Minister Saji Cherian that there is no need to keep land as a buffer zone (no-development zone) beside the land acquired for SilverLine is against the facts in the detailed project report. It says 10m on both sides of the acquired land needs to be kept as no-development zone; of this, construction won’t be allowed in five metres.
“In the next five metres, no-objection certificate (from K-Rail) is needed for development activities including construction,” said K-Rail MD V Ajith Kumar. “Usually, in railway projects, 30m has to be kept as buffer zone on both sides. We only need 10m,” he told reporters on Monday. He said there wouldn’t be any compensation for the land that needs to be kept as buffer zone.
Earlier in the day, Cherian told reporters in Chengannur that not even a single metre needs to be kept as buffer zone. “I have read the DPR. There is no mention of any buffer zone in it,” he said. Arguing that a majority of the people is for the project, Cherian said of the 100 people whose land needs to be acquired, only 10 or 15 are confused about the project while others are willing to surrender land.