THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Roads blocks for the years-long proposal to widen the Vazhayila-Nedumangad stretch - that is part of Thiruvananthapuram-Tenkashi inter-state highway - are slowly moving away. The state government has decided to constitute a six-member committee to fix a new alignment and to resolve the dispute from land owners, based on the Social Impact Assessment (SIA) study conducted recently.
Widening the 11.8-km stretch from Vazhayila to Pazhakutti would reduce the travel time and ease traffic congestion from the city to Nedumangad considerably. The SIA report submitted to the government said the alignment shall be re-examined due to the impact on the land owners who will lose their property. The government will move forward with land acquisition proceedings after the new committee examines the report.
As per the report, the land parcels owned by schools, temples. churches and mosques need to be acquired for the present alignment and 874 buildings, both commercial and residential, will be affected. G R Anil, Minister for Food and Civil Supplies and also the legislator from Nedumangad, said the government is committed to developing the stretch into a four-lane road modelled on the Karamana-Kodinada road. “The project is our topmost priority. In fact, I had proposed the road widening when I was a councillor of Nedumangad municipality. Moreover, it will give a complete makeover for the road stretching upto Tenkasi. As a preliminary step, a committee will monitor, review and decide on the development, including land acquisition. The acquisition will begin soon,” he said.
The revenue department, under a special tahsildar, will acquire 7.561 hectares of land spread across Karakulam, Peroorkada, Aruvikkara, Nedumangad and Karipur villages. The road will be widened to 21 metres as per standards of Indian Road Congress.
Social impact study
The SIA report submitted to the government said the alignment shall be re-examined due to the impact on the land owners who will lose their property. The government will move forward with land acquisition proceedings after the new committee examines the report.
project facts
Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board is funding the project.
Implementing agency: Kerala Road Fund Board
Rs 338.53 crore sanctioned - Rs 279.31 cr for construction and Rs 59.22 crore for land acquisition