The Federation for Retrieval of Tiruchi-Palpannai-Thuvakudi Service Roads, an umbrella organisation of residents’ associations, has urged the State government to sanction the additional funds required for acquiring the land for laying service lanes along the city stretch of the Tiruchi-Thanjavur National Highway (NH-67).
The national highway was widened into a four-lane one by the National Highways Authority of India a few years ago. The federation has been fighting for the construction of the service lanes on the 14.5-km stretch since 2009-10 when the NHAI took up the project to four-lane the Tiruchi-Thanjavur National Highway (NH-67).
Revised estimate
In a representation submitted to the District Collector, K.S.Palanisamy, on Monday, the federation pointed out that the State government had issued an order in August 2011 sanctioning Rs.84.5 crore to be given towards compensation for the land to be acquired for the service lanes along the highway.
But as per the revised estimates of the National Highways Authority of India, Rs.196 crore was required for laying the service lanes. But the State Highways Department has suggested that the width of the service lanes could be restricted to 45 metres and the land could be acquired to that extent utilising the already sanctioned fund.
The federation, however, requested the State government to sanction the additional requirement of Rs.111.5 crore so that the service lanes could be laid as planned by the NHAI.
Steps should be taken to acquire the land for the service lanes within the next 15 days, the federation coordinator S.Subramanian and other representatives demanded.
The federation also urged the State government to take steps to get the court cases cleared to pave the way for the expeditious laying of the service lanes.
State sanctions Rs.84.5 crore for land acquisition in August 2011
However, as per the revised estimates, Rs.196 crore is required