The District-Level Purchase Committee (DLPC) has fixed the rates of the remaining land required for the construction of Panniyankara overbridge in the city.
At least 30 cents of land is required for reviving the project that had been stalled for several months. The DLPC meeting, chaired by District Collector N. Prasanth, has decided to fix the price at Rs.13 lakh a cent. As many as 67 persons took part in the DLPC meeting held on Saturday.
Now, this decision has to be ratified by the State-Level Empowered Committee chaired by the Chief Secretary. Only then can the acquisition process begin.
As per schedule, the construction of the overbridge should have been completed in August this year. However, only less than 10 per cent of the work could be completed till now. The construction began on February 17, 2014.
The remaining 30 cents of land has been acquired from 72 property owners.
Most of them are shop owners. About nine cents of land was acquired at the same price last month.
The new rates have been fixed based on the recommendations of the DLPC. The State government has already issued orders in this regard, officials say.
A building of the Panniyankara Government Upper Primary School will have to be demolished to facilitate the construction of the overbridge. However, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) will construct a new building. Till then, the classes will be conducted at an adjoining madrassa.
The overbridge is being construction as part of the multi-crore light metro project envisaged for the city. The DMRC, which has prepared the Detailed Project Report, will be entrusted with the construction activities. There will be two access points to the overbridge from the National Highway.
A Kochi-based company will be handed over the contract for construction. A sum of Rs.41.18 crore is required for construction of the overbridge and Rs.26 crore, for acquisition of land. The funds for land acquisition had been sanctioned earlier.
The 800-m-long over bridge will be constructed 500 m across the National Highway and 300 m across the railway track. Piling work for the bridge across the railway track is complete.
A new service road has to be constructed as an alternative route before beginning the piling work on the National Highway. highway without acquiring land.
