No compromise on alignment, Metro tells HC

Kochi Metro Rail Limited on Tuesday told the Kerala High Court that any compromise on the metro’s alignment at critical location would jeopardize the alignment of the entire project.

This was stated in an affidavit filed by Elias M. George, Managing Director of Kochi Metro Rail Ltd, in response to a petition filed by Beena Kannan, proprietor of Seematti textiles, challenging the alignment through her land.

She said the alignment through MG Road was not viable and the proposal to draw alignment through her property was with malafide intention.

KMRL said Seematti’s land was located in a very sharp curve where the metro line turns from the Banerji Road to the MG Road. Any compromise on the metro’s alignment at this critical location may jeopardize the alignment of the entire project.

The land, buildings and property of many small holders were being acquired for the project without any objections.

The petitioner’s request to limit the acquisition of land to the width of 10 metre in the area was not possible. The width of the alignment in a particular area could not be limited for the benefits of an individual. That would adversely affect the safety, KMRL said.