The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has told the State government that it will complete the four-laning of the NH corridors from Kasaragod to Kazhakuttam in the capital in two years if land is handed over to them soon.
The assurance was given by top NHAI officials to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan at a high-level meeting convened by him here to expedite National Highway (NH) development works in the State.
Confirming this to mediapersons here on Thursday, Minister for Public Works G. Sudhakaran said the government had set in motion steps to expedite land acquisition.
Solution through talks
The Additional Chief Secretary, Public Works, and District Collectors had been asked to hold talks with those opposing acquisition and on shifting places of worship. “Disputes will be solved through talks,” he said in reply to a query.
On corridors where the right of way is 30 metres, 7.5 metres of land will be acquired on both sides to avoid massive displacement and complaints.
‘Good compensation’
The Minister said the government was committed to the development of the NH corridors with a 45-metre carriageway and those parting with land will be given “good compensation.” “The Chief Minister is keen on developing the NH corridors and is personally monitoring it. The government will take steps to avoid misery to those being displaced.”
The District Collector, Thiruvananthapuram, has proposed an elevated highway for the remaining portion of the Karamana-Kaliyikkavila section of the NH 66 that is being four-laned by the PWD. The proposal that avoids land acquisition, though costly, will be taken up with the Chief Minister and the Finance Minster, he added.
As much as 352 hectares of land has to be acquired on the Cherthala-Kazhakuttam stretch of NH 66 and 977 hectares in the remaining NH corridors up to Kasaragod. At the present market rate, the land acquisition will incur a cost of Rs.20,000 crore to the exchequer.
The NHAI will have to develop 610 km of NH in the State. Of these, 172.8 km is on the Cherthala-Kazhakuttam stretch and 121 km is in Edapally-Kuttipuram corridor. The stretches awaiting development include Thalapady-Kannur (130 km) and Kannur-Vengalam (82 km).
The NH 66 bypass stretch from Kazhakuttam to Karode in Tamil Nadu is being developed into a four-lane by the NHAI.
