THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Transport Minister, Antony Raju, has directed the Roads and Bridges Development Corporation Kerala (RBDCK), which is entrusted to expedite the proposed flyover at Attakulangara, to obtain clearance from the Art and Heritage Commission as many buildings, including houses in the agraharam, that are to be acquired for the project, come under the heritage zone.
On Monday, the minister convened a meeting with the officials of PWD, archaeology department and representatives of land owners at Attakulangara. The minister told RBDCK officials to approach the Art and Heritage Commission seeking its approval. If they don’t give clearance, then the project will be dropped. Meanwhile, if they get the clearance, then a second meeting will be held to discuss alternatives, the minister said in the meeting.
The meeting was held in the minister’s chamber at 4pm. The representatives of mosque, traders at Attakulangara and residents of Puthen Street-I Agraharam were present. The representatives of the agraharam informed the minister that the houses in the agraharam are in the heritage zone and if the land is acquired, then only 0.45 cents will be left for them to reside. The residents also submitted documents substantiating their claim of heritage status of the agraharam. Following this, the minister asked the officials to proceed with the work only after getting clearance from the Art and Heritage Commission.
Earlier, the PWD had prepared an alignment by avoiding the right side of Attakulangara-Enchakkal Road adjoining Attakulangara junction as there is a centuries-old ‘fort wall’ (Kotta Mathil). The revenue department said that as many as 300 shops and 150 houses in agraharams in the Fort area would be demolished for the project. The local residents said the demolition of houses in the agraharam in the name of development is not justifiable. It is certain that the acquisition of the agraharam land and the construction of a flyover will spoil the serene atmosphere of the area. It is pertinent to note that the Archaeological Survey of India has listed the ‘Fort walls around Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple’ and ‘the fort gates and the sites’ under the list of ‘Protected Monuments in Kerala’.
The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958, provides that the limits of the prohibited area and the regulated area around monuments, archaeological sites, and remains, declared by the Central government as protected, have been specified as 100 metres and 200 metres, respectively. The site for the flyover is located within 100 metres of the fort walls and is, therefore, a protected area under the provisions of the Act. Earlier, the state government had planned to construct a flyover on the East Fort-Attakulangara-Manacaud stretch. However, this plan was abandoned because many of the structures that have to be demolished were located within the heritage zone.
Residents oppose land acquisition
They say demolition of houses in the agraharam in the name of development is not justifiable. The acquisition of the agraharam land and the construction of a flyover will spoil the serene atmosphere of the area. The Archaeological Survey of India has listed the ‘Fort walls around Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple’ and ‘the fort gates and the sites’ under the list of ‘Protected Monuments in Kerala’.
