RAMANATHAPURAM
After the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways issued a notification for acquiring land for four-laning of National Highway 49 from Paramakudi to Dhanushkodi, 137 landowners have objected to takeover of their lands and demanded realignment of the highway.
After the Ministry issued the notification under Sub-section 1 of Section 3A of the National Highways Act, 1956, on May 7 for acquiring 178.46 hectares of land from Ariyanendal to Kuyavankudi for the four-laning, 137 landowners submitted objections to K. Udayakumar, Special DRO (Land acquisition – National Highways) at the Collectorate here on Wednesday.
They said the proposed alignment for extending the 30-metre-wide road to 60 metres either passed through their farmlands or concrete houses, Mr. Udayakumar said, adding the objections would be sent to the Project Director, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Karaikudi, for further action.
The Project Director, after seeking opinion from the NHAI headquarters in Chennai, would take a final decision, which would be communicated to the landowners. Most of the objections had come from landowners in Landhai, Kazhuguoorani, Arun Nagar, Avarendal and Ariyanendal, Mr. Udayakumar said.
The Ministry would issue two more notifications under Sections 3D and 3G of the NH Act before fixing compensation and acquiring lands. Three Tahsildars were appointed for land acquisition, he said.
The Ministry also issued a notification on May 25 to acquire 127.10 hectares of land from Valantharavai to Mandapam and identified lands required for the four-laning in eight villages. The landowners had been asked to appear before him and submit objections on June 26, Mr. Udayakumar said.
People from Arun Nagar and Avarendal – two Dalit villages in Menmeni panchayat – raised objection on the ground that the extension would render them homeless. At least 20 houses faced demolition in the two villages as the officials had indicated acquisition of lands to a distance of 30 metres from one side of the road, T. Poomani, a resident of Arun Nagar, said.
They could save their houses if the authorities acquired lands from both sides of the road in the two villages, she said.
S. Vanitha and Rakhu, a widow from Ariyanendal, said they would lose their livelihood as the alignment passed through their coconut grove measuring four acres.
