TIRUCHY: The state government has started land acquisition process to widen the service road on both sides for a distance of 14.5 km in the Thuvakudi-Palpannai stretch, fulfilling a long pending of residents for a safe passage on the of the Tiruchy-Thanjavur national highway.
In a release, Tiruchy Collector V Saravanan stated that following an interim order issued by the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, land would be acquired in villages of Tharanallur, Varaganeri, Ariyamangalam, Pappakurichi, Ellakudi, Agaram, Thiruverumbur, Koothaipar and Thuvakudi. Land surveys and valuation of buildings and trees have been completed in all the nine villages.
The work started in Tharanallur and Varaganeri villages on Monday. Steps are under way to disburse compensation amounting to Rs 8.59 crore, the collector stated. In Ariyamangalam, negotiations with landowners have been completed and the relevant documents have been obtained. The land acquisition award for Ariyamangalam village will be issued before February 28. Negotiations have been scheduled with landowners in Ellakudi village on February 20, in Pappakurichi on February 24, and in Agaram on February 26 and 27. Meetings in the remaining three villages will be conducted soon, the release stated.
In 2011, the Thanjavur–Tiruchy National Highway along a 14.5-km stretch from Palpannai to Thuvakudi. However, alleging that the service roads on either side did not have adequate width, residents began demanding that the total road width be increased to 45 metres. As hundreds of residential localities are located on both sides of the highway, residents say they are forced to cross the road.
In addition, thousands of people travelling daily to industries such as BHEL, OFT and HAPP, as well as to higher educational institutions, use this stretch. Subsequently, the residents formed a Federation for Retrieval of Tiruchy–Palpannai–Thuvakudi Service Roads and staged several protests to press the demand. The federation claimed that scores of people have lost their lives trying to cross the stretch.
Responding to the collector's announcement, Subramanian, an office bearer of the federation said the proposed plan is not as per the court orders. "Despite the court's direction, the width of the proposed service road has been drastically reduced," he told TNIE. Meanwhile, the indefinite hunger strike protest of a CPI functionary to press for the demand entered the third day on Wednesday.