It has been nearly a decade since they were displaced for the NH 17 here. With another election at the door step, the eviction continues to be a problem angering a large section of the electorate.
Rema Sivadas of Cheriyapilly, member of a displaced family, said: “All the families in my neighbourhood, including ours, have collectively decided to go for negative voting as a mark of protest to the continuing political indifference towards our concern.”
Her voice finds a resonance among majority of the families settled on either side of the 25 kilometer-stretch from Edappally to Moothakunnam.
NH 17 Action Council, spearheading the agitation, holds the view that the issue would influence the voting decision of at least 6000 voters in the region. Having once evicted for acquiring 30 meters for the highway, which remains in a state of suspended animation, they now face the prospect of another eviction for the proposed expansion to 45 metres.
“Rather than taking a predetermined position, the association has asked its members to cast conscience votes,” said Hashim Chendampilly, the general convener of the action council.
Despite the perceived injustice, the action council is about to start a campaign to encourage evictees to cast their votes and continue to be a part of the country’s political process. “We will be approaching about 2,500 families living on either side of the proposed stretch through the local-level committees with a plea to exercise their franchise to protect their rights,” he explained.
The first phase of land acquisition for the 30-meter-wide road started from Moothakunnam and ended at Cheriyappilly in 1993. Acquisition for the remaining area up to Edappally was completed by 2006.
While the officials of the National Highways Authority of India proceed to take over an additional 15 metres of land, the already acquired land continues to remain idle.
People had surrendered land for a compensation of hardly Rs. 43,000 per cent when the market price hovered around Rs.2.90 lakh. Of this, the government held back 11 per cent as income tax.
That the issue will continue to simmer in the coming days as well is evident from the words of the NHAI officials. “The national policy is to have 60-metre-wide NHs while it is fixed at 45 meters for Kerala. The proposal for 30-metre-wide road is technically not feasible as there will be no room to construct service roads,” they said.
