The Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) on Tuesday submitted before the Kerala High Court that compromising the metro rail alignment at the critical locations may jeopardise the alignment of the entire metro project.
KMRL managing director Elias George made the submission on a petition filed by Beena Kannan, owner of Seematti textiles, challenging the alignment.
The petitioner submitted that the alignment through the M G Road is not viable and the proposal to draw alignment through her property was actuated by mala fides.KMRL said that Seematti’s land is located on a sharp curve where the metro line turns from Banerji Road to M G Road. Any compromise on the metro rail alignment at this critical location may jeopardise the alignment of the entire project, it maintained. While the land acquisition along the entire stretch was 16 metres, the acquired land near Seematti has been reduced to a width of 12 metres on account of the fact that high rise buildings are located along the metro corridor.
Land, buildings and property belonging to many small holders are being acquired for the project without objection. The petitioner’s request to limit the acquisition of land to the width of 10 metres in the area is not possible. For the interest of a single individual, the alignment width of a particular area may not be limited, which could adversely affect safety, the KMRL said.
The proposed metro rail is passing through the vacant land that the petitioner is using for parking purposes.
Since 2005, the petitioners were completely aware that the metro rail alignment would pass through their land. The petitioners should have set-apart suitable parking space in the remaining land possessed by them during the construction of the new building. Entry to the petitioner’s land through Chittoor Road would not be affected by the implementation of the project.
The KMRL has not taken any steps to harass the land owners or to harm their successful businesses, Elias George submitted.