The district administration and the Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) will go hammer and tongs from next week to acquire land on the Maharaja’s College Ground-Jos Junction-Ernakulam Junction Railway Station-Manorama Junction stretch, senior officials in the two agencies have said.
Considerable progress has been achieved in acquiring land in the Aluva-Maharaja’s College Ground corridor – metro’s reach one — despite expiry of frequent deadlines. “We will now focus on areas south and east of the reach so that more work sites can be opened. The owner of a plot on the northern end of M.G. Road who was stalling land acquisition efforts too will have to surrender land for the metro in the coming week,” said KMRL’s managing director Elias George.
Plots of land taken over forcibly, especially on the Edappally-M.G. Road stretch, have been handed over to the KMRL. A few plots in Aluva too have been taken over.
Reacting to the inordinate delay in widening the Palarivattom-Kaloor stretch where commuting has become a nightmare after barricades were erected for metro works, land acquisition officials said all plots except four in the area had been taken over and front parts of buildings and shops were being demolished. “There is delay in taking over four more plots. Those who possess the lands do not have clear title deeds since it is government poramboke land,” they said.
Metro contractors have been citing their inability to launch girders at many parts of the corridor due to inadequate space outside barricades to manoeuvre heavy-duty cranes. A few owners in the Jos Junction-Ernakulam Junction Railway Station reach have been opposing surrender of their lands, citing that the compensation of Rs. 52 lakh per cent of land was inadequate. “The compensation is unlikely to be increased, though one more round of talks with Revenue officials might take place,” officials said.
Parts of S.A. Road and Vyttila Junction too are very narrow for smooth flow of vehicles. “The bell mouths at Vyttila junction will have to be widened. Work to widen Vyttila-Pettah Road is in a stalemate since land owners have not been paid compensation, despite frequent assurances by the State government,” they said. Mr. Elias George said the government was expected to take a decision at the next Cabinet meeting.