A time schedule has been prepared to complete the land acquisition formalities within four months for taking up the Rs. 750-crore four-laning of the 43-km Kazhakuttom-Inchivila NH 47 bypass.
As the statutory notification under Section 3A of the National Highways Act, 1956 for acquisition of land was published last in the Gazette of India (Extraordinary) on March 22 this year, the Revenue authorities will get one year to complete the land acquisition formalities.
“We have decided to complete acquisition of the remaining 70.65 hectares on the 17-km Kottukal-Karode stretch within four months taking into account the urgency,” District Collector K.N. Satheesh told The Hindu .
Section 3D (declaration of acquisition) and 3H (deposit and payment of amount of compensation) are the formalities pending. Mr. Satheesh said fixing of land value would be taken up in three weeks, negotiations in one-and-a-half months, and draft declaration would be completed in three months.
The stretch is part of the 212-km NH 47 bypass project of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) in the State from Thuravur, which had commenced in 1974.
After completing acquisition of land for a 27-km four-lane road between Kazhakuttom and Kottukal, a two-lane stretch of 22 km between Kazhakuttom and Kovalam junction was completed about 15 years ago. Work on the bypass had come to a standstill and the 3A notifications issued twice for acquiring the remaining land got lapsed.
Nearly 25.26 hectares will have to be additionally acquired on the 22-km Kazhakuttom-Kottukal stretch for bridges, culverts, and viaducts to facilitate the widening of the two-lane road to four-lane. Construction of four major bridges, including a new bridge at Akkulam, 60 culverts, one rail overbridge at Chakka, and 11 underpasses, are part of the project.
To be handled by the NHAI, the project will be executed under the BOT concept. The NHAI will take up four-laning of the 27 km from Kazhakuttom to Kottukal where land has already been acquired and the remaining 15 km later. The entire stretch is expected to be completed in 36 months.
The project was reviewed at a meeting convened by Union Minister of State for Human Resource Development Shashi Tharoor at the Collectorate on Thursday. Mr. Satheesh, NHAI, PWD and Revenue officials attended the meeting.
