COIMBATORE: While the state government's ambitious plan to widen the Avinashi-Mettupalayam road into a four-lane highway promises to improve regional connectivity and ease traffic congestion, landowners affected by the project have expressed strong dissatisfaction over the compensation being offered for land acquisition.
The then DMK government had sanctioned Rs 238 crore under the Chief Minister's Rural Road Development Programme (CMRDP) for upgrading the 38.2-km state highway (SH-80) connecting Avinashi in Tiruppur district and Mettupalayam in Coimbatore district via Annur town. The route is a vital link for tourists travelling to destinations such as Ooty and Mysuru and is expected to reduce traffic pressure on the heavily congested Nagapattinam-Coimbatore-Gundlupete national highway (NH-181).
The project involves widening the existing road to 16.2 metres, constructing centre medians, and expanding seven bridges along the corridor. Land acquisition has already commenced in several locations. In Annur revenue village alone, authorities plan to acquire about 101 cents of land from around 115 landowners. In Ottarpalayam panchayat, land belonging to approximately 135 individuals has been identified for acquisition.
Following an earlier public consultation in Annur, a discussion on compensation and land valuation was held at the office of the District Revenue Officer (Land Acquisition) in Coimbatore. During the meeting, affected residents voiced their concerns over compensation rates fixed by the government.
Landowners from Ottarpalayam alleged that the compensation offered was significantly lower than prevailing market rates. The amount proposed represents only about 25% of the actual market value of the land, they said.
"We are being asked to part with our homes, shops and properties where our families have lived and worked for years. The compensation fixed by the government is unacceptable," a participant said.
Residents demanded that the government provide compensation equivalent to at least twice the current market value before acquiring their properties, adding that a meeting of affected landowners would soon be convened to decide on the next course of action.
