Residents up in arms against delay in widening Thammanam-Pullepady road

Plan to organise dharna in front of corporation office

A narrow stretch of road connects Thammanam and Pullepady in the city. Photo: Thulasi Kakkat

It has been about 25 years since Abdul Hameed T.H., a 64-year-old former film producer, last carried out major maintenance work on his house located near Kathrikkadavu. It is also, he says, the first time the roadway in front of his house between Thammanam and Pullepady was proposed to be expanded.

“My 4.5 cents of property and house have been lying frozen for years as it was supposed to be taken over for the proposed expansion of the road. After much delay, I was made to sign a consent letter with regard to surrendering land about one and half years ago, but I am yet to get any compensation,” he said.

Mr. Hameed was among over 120 residents who on Saturday declared a war of sorts against the authorities over the inordinate delay in commencing the project. “We will be holding a dharna in front of the corporation office on November 26 to protest against the apathy towards the residents of Thammanam and Pulleppady,” said K.S. Dileep Kumar, general convener of the Samara Samithy. The dharna would be followed up with other forms of protest until the corporation met their demand, he added.

According to the Samithy, Right to Information petitions filed with the district administration and the Kochi Corporation have revealed that the State government had already sanctioned a fund of Rs.25 crore for initiating the works. Besides, the handing over of the property to the Public Works Department (PWD) is yet to take place as the corporation failed to assess the market value of buildings on the stretch.

Officials, meanwhile, have hinted at a delay in completing the project on account of paucity of funds. “A request with regard to widening the stretch between Stadium Link Road and Kathrikkadavu Junction, where about 70 per cent of area has been acquired, has already been taken up with the PWD Minister. There is still uncertainty over the fund to meet the cost of construction,” they said.

According to them, only 94 owners have agreed to surrender their land while another 222 plots remain to be acquired for the purpose. Nearly 20 acres will have to be acquired for road widening and rehabilitation, of which 10 acres will be used for widening activities.

The cost of expanding the stretch into a four-lane is estimated to be around Rs. 300 crore while that of making it a two lane will be around Rs.75 crore.