THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The tiff between the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and the Thiruvarattukavu Devi temple authorities over the construction of the Attingal bypass as part of the Kazhakoottam-Kadampattukonam NH-66 project has taken a new turn with the temple authorities filing a contempt of court case against the NHAI.
The temple authorities filed a case in the High Court on April 3 alleging that the NHAI violated the HC order by encroaching on the temple land without their consent.
The tussle between the two groups started months ago when new the alignment of the Attingal bypass including the temple land located near Kollampuzha was proposed. The temple authorities argued that the NHAI changed its earlier alignment plan and deliberately included the temple land. They said that the 716-year-old temple holds historical importance and should be preserved. The temple authorities filed a petition in the High Court regarding this last year and the HC ordered a stay on taking over the land on August 29, 2022.
However, the court vacated the order later and allowed the NHAI to take over the land on the premises of the temple. But the court had also directed the NHAI to conduct a site visit and take the temple officials into confidence.
Now, the temple authorities came out against the NHAI after its officials initiated the process to acquire the temple land by demolishing its compound wall and cutting down the trees on March 22 without prior information.
According to the petitioner, the damage that will be caused to the temple structures will destroy its sanctity. The destruction of ‘Kannimoola’, which is an auspicious point of the temple, will amount to the mutilation of the limbs of the deity itself. The petitioner also alleged that the NHAI had changed the alignment three times earlier, yielding to the pleasure of influential persons.
Meanwhile, the NHAI will give its reply to the legal notice soon, pointing out that it has done nothing illegal and acted only as per the project’s proposal. “We received the legal notice. We will give a reply soon and proceed further based on the court’s direction,” said P Pradeep, project director, NHAI.
Turn of events