COIMBATORE: Tensions continue to simmer in Coimbatore district ahead of the crucial meeting with farmers and residents opposing land acquisition for the Sathy Road-widening project.
The National Highways wing of the State Highways Department, in coordination with revenue department officials led by the District Revenue Officer (Land Acquisition), will hold the meeting with those against the widening of the road.
The meeting is scheduled to take place on May 14 at the Annur Taluk Office, where officials will engage with affected landowners and attempt to address their grievances. The widening project, which aims to convert the congested two-lane Sathy Road into a four-lane green corridor from Kurumbapalayam through Annur, Sathyamangalam, and Bannari up to the Karnataka border, is facing pushback from local farmers.
A total of `630 crore has been allocated for land acquisition, and notices have been served to landowners across multiple villages. In March, over 300 residents from Annur and Kovilpalayam submitted formal objections to the DRO, expressing strong opposition to the acquisition of their farmland.
Following a similar inquiry held in Sathyamangalam taluk of Erode district on April 23, hearings in Coimbatore district are set to begin on May 14. Those who have filed objections have been asked to appear at the Annur Taluk Office on May 14, 16, 19, and 23 to present their concerns in person.
Farmers from 14 revenue villages in Coimbatore and two villages in Tiruppur district have received official summons. As the date of the meeting approaches, both sides are preparing for what could be a decisive round of dialogue.