KOCHI: The National Highway Protection Council, which was leading the protests by various social and political organisations, withdrew the agitations on Tuesday after the state government informed the High Court that the land required for the widening of the Neriamangalam-Valara stretch of National Highway 85 is indeed revenue land in possession of the PWD and not forest land as submitted earlier.
The High Court, which had suspended the road upgrading work on the 14.5-km stretch, citing issues with “forest land”, took up the case for hearing again on Tuesday.
“The state government informed the court that it was withdrawing the earlier affidavit in which it was wrongly submitted that the land in question was forest land. The chief secretary, appearing for the government, submitted a fresh affidavit stating that the 100-ft wide land in the section is in fact revenue land possessed by the PWD,” said P M Baby, chairman, National Highway Protection Council.
The High Court on July 11 suspended the road upgrading work on the 14.5-km stretch, citing issues with the “forest land” and lack of necessary approvals from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change based on a petition filed by Idukki-based environmentalist M N Jayachandran.
However, the residents and the National Highway Protection Council, argue that the widening is crucial for improving connectivity of the hill ranges with the main land and also to ensure traffic safety on the accident-prone route.
The court, earlier in the day, fixed October 13 as the next day for hearing the case.
“Now that the government has submitted the true status of the land in question, we expect a favourable verdict on October 13. Currently, the narrow road on the stretch is in a dilapidated condition and its development is essential for the residents of high range areas. If the verdict is not favourable, we will file an appeal,” he said.
Rasak Chooravelil, general convenor of the council said, “The road's condition is resulting in increased mishaps. One side of the stretch was trenched before the works got suspended. The paved shoulders or retention walls could not be constructed along a large portion of the stretch, as the same increases the risk of landslides. Similarly, the work on the drainage tunnel could not be finished and the digging of the road for the same is now posing a threat to vehicles.”
Interestingly, a division bench, while considering the Kiran Siju vs M N Jayachandran case, had declared that the 100-ft-wide land on the stretch is possessed by the PWD. However, when the case again came up before the court, Chief Secretary K R Jyothilal initially submitted that the land comes under forest area, following which the court suspended the road upgrading works being carried out by the NHAI.
The key stretch connects the popular hill destination in Idukki, including Munnar, with the mainland, and witnesses heavy traffic during peak seasons.
