The Revenue Department has completed the first phase of land acquisition for the Mananchira-Vellimadukunnu road widening project.
Officials said 2.0326 acres had been acquired at Paroppady, Nadakkavu, and Mavoor Road coming under the three sections of the alignment of the 8.4-km stretch of National Highway 212. The land was bought via the direct purchase route at Rs.35 crore allocated in January this year.
The first tranche of Rs.25 crore had been utilised to improve Malapramba Junction. The government has already started acquiring land, and compensation has been paid to 40 landowners. Also, steps are being taken to complete the remaining procedures, officials said.
More than Rs.400 crore is required to acquire 18.5329 acres for widening the stretch. Previously, the sum worked out by the District-Level Purchase Committee (DLPC) was Rs.340 crore, and it was endorsed by the State-level empowered committee.
Officials added that a daunting task before the Revenue Department was convincing shop owners who had refused to part with their property. At the same time, landowners are willing to hand over their property to the government for the project.
Compensation
Meanwhile, District Collector N. Prasanth had written to the State government, seeking a satisfactory compensation package for shop owners at Malaparamba Junction.
An amount of Rs.4 crore sanctioned to the Public Works Department (PWD) last year to fence government lands coming in the alignment of the road project had to be returned to the government by the end of the financial year.
However, officials said tenders had been floated to construct compound walls around government lands to prevent encroachment.
