THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The development of the proposed Outer Ring Road (ORR) project in the capital has taken one step closer with Kerala Industrial and Technical Consultancy Organisation (KITCO) Limited submitting the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the land acquisition to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) last week.
Sources said the NHAI has finalised the DPR and handed over it to the district administration’s Land Acquisition wing. The DPR for other aspects, which includes the Resettlement and Rehabilitation package and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report, is yet to be submitted to the NHAI. NHAI is expected to call the tender for the project this financial year itself.
NHAI has finalised the DPR for land acquisition. However, the tender proceedings can be started only after completing the DPR for other parameters, said P Pradeep, NHAI project director. “We expect the KITCO to complete the DPR for the entire project this financial year itself. So we can call a tender before the end of this financial year. NHAI is acting fast so as to ensure the speedy completion of preliminary proceedings of the project,” Pradeep said.
As per the DPR, the stretch passes through 31 villages. In the first notification issued by the state government, there were 47 villages. However, the DPR has avoided 16 villages from it. Sources said that the next step is to conduct a survey on the stretch under the aegis of the revenue department of the collectorate with the assistance of KITCO. The survey is expected to be completed in three months. Then, the revenue department will issue 3A notification, which is the first notification for the land acquisition proceedings.
Earlier, the revenue department constituted a special team of officers for the speedy implementation of the project. Issuing an order on government approval for land acquisition in April this year, the revenue department set up a team of 12 officials, led by a special deputy collector, to ensure a smooth takeover of about 1,500 acres for the 80km road project under the Centre’s Bharatmala Pariyojana scheme.
Pradeep added that the NHAI would also be part of land acquisition, as half the project cost of Rs 4,868 crore was being borne by the Centre. The work would be carried out under the aegis of the NHAI. The ORR project received the Central government’s in-principle approval in 2019. As per the plan, the six-lane road will be 70m-wide and will have 10m-wide service lanes.
Furthermore, the road from Parippally in Kollam to NH-66 bypass at Vizhinjam will be flanked by logistics, IT and entertainment hubs. Planned to be implemented in two phases, the project will also develop a road linking NH-66, state highways and MC Road.
The corridor is expected to spur economic growth on the fringes of the city, said sources. Meanwhile, the residents of Mangalapuram-Thekkada stretch, which comes as an interconnection of the ring road, have raised apprehensions over losing their homes and land.
At a glance
31 villages which ORR passes through:
Navaikulam, Kudavoor, Karavaram, Vellalloor, Nagaroor, Koduvazhannoor, Kilimanoor, Pulimathu, Vamanapuram, Pullampara, Manikkal, Thekkada, Vattappara, Vembayam, Koliyakode, Nedumangad, Karakulam, Aruvikkara, Keezhthonnakkal, Andoorkonam, Melthonnakkal, Veiloor, Vilappil, Kulathummal, Maranalloor, Malayinkeezhu, Pallichal, Balaramapuram, Venganoor, Kottukal and Vizhinjam.