THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has granted environmental clearance for the proposed Rs 8,398-crore Greenfield Outer Ring Road connecting Vizhinjam and Navaikulam, putting an end to the uncertainty and delays surrounding the project.
The long-awaited environmental clearance order for the 62.7-km project was issued on Wednesday, subject to a series of environmental safeguards. As many as 6,500 landowners who surrendered their land for the project had approached the High Court seeking its intervention over the delay in obtaining the environmental clearance. According to official sources, the clearance order will now be placed before the Union Cabinet for approval.
An official source told TNIE that the disbursal of compensation and tendering of the project will happen simultaneously. The project is expected to be completed in 30 months. The project, implemented by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), will run from Navaikulam to Vizhinjam and the alignment passes through 24 villages across six taluks - Varkala, Chirayinkeezhu, Nedumangad, Kattakada, Neyyattinkara and Thiruvananthapuram.
The land acquisition cost for the project is estimated at Rs 4,129 crore. Around 314.05 hectares of land will be acquired for the project of which 93.6% comprises private land and 6.39 percent government land.
The ORR has a proposed right of way of 45 m, including service roads, widening to between 60 and 80 metres at tunnels, slip roads and their approaches.
21,000 trees likely to be felled, and 84 potentially vulnerable species to be displaced.
As many as 21,000 trees are likely to be felled within the right of way. NHAI has proposed planting 2.10 lakh trees, which is ten times the number likely to be felled. It is learned that, owing to lack of space it may not be possible to provide three rows of roadside plantation as prescribed under IRC guidelines.
Hence the NHAI has proposed plantation in forest areas as deposit work, if the Forest Department approves. The NHAI is planning Miyawaki plantations at the cloverleaf interchange.
Besides the tree loss, a biodiversity assessment by the Kerala Forest Research Institute identified 84 potentially vulnerable species and roadkill hotspots along the alignment. The assessment has identified seven Schedule-I species - Crested Goshawk, Crested Hawk-Eagle, Black-headed Ibis, Spectacled Cobra, Russell’s Viper, Indian Rock Python and Bengal Monitor Lizard.
The KFRI has proposed a Rs 1.27 crore conservation plan to mitigate biodiversity destruction. The project also proposes a range of wildlife mitigation measures including underpasses, viaducts, fencing, speed regulation, warning signage, animal detection systems, carcass removal and vegetation management.
The project proposes around 17 tunnels and 50 viaducts, with the viaducts having a cumulative length of 11.974 km.
The project
The project is expected to be completed in 30 months. The project, implemented by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), will run from Navaikulam to Vizhinjam and the alignment passes through 24 villages across 6 taluks - Varkala, Chirayinkeezhu, Nedumangad, Kattakada, Neyyattinkara and Thiruvananthapuram
A sneak peek into Vizhinjam Outer Ring Road
4/6-lane Greenfield Outer Ring Road, NH-866
62.70 km long ORR will link Navaikulam-Thekkada-Vizhinjam
Project cost: Rs 8,398.46 crore
Right of way: 45 m, widening to 60-80 m at tunnels, slip roads and approaches
17 tunnels, 50 viaducts (11.974 km cumulative viaduct length), 17 minor bridges, 2 major bridges
2.10 lakh trees proposed to be planted
84 vulnerable species identified
