Land demarcation for flyovers begins

Sites being marked at Sreekaryam; Pattom flyover extended to Plamoodu

Demarcation of land to be acquired for the flyovers at Sreekaryam, Ulloor, and Pattom along the NH 66, as part of the proposed Light Metro corridor from Technocity to Karamana, has commenced.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), the turnkey consultant for interim works of the ₹4,219-crore project, has commenced marking the land to be acquired at Sreekaryam. Official sources told The Hindu that once the markings were over, stones would be laid to demarcate boundaries. The process will be followed in Ulloor and Pattom in due course.

Once boundary stones are laid, the Revenue Department will commence steps to acquire land after completing the formalities, including the social impact assessment. The 6 (1) notification under Land Acquisition Act was issued in December and the survey numbers of the lands in nine villages, notified.

Negotiated purchase

In all, 2.11 hectares are needed for the four flyovers, including Thampanoor, on the 21.8-km corridor. Already, the government has given approval to the Revenue Department for negotiated purchase. Administrative sanction has been given to ₹272.84 crore.

The Kerala Infrastructure Investment Board (KIIFB) has given approval for the construction of the flyovers. The flyover at Sreekaryam will cost ₹135.37 crore and the one at Ulloor, ₹52.68 crore. The cost of the Pattom flyover will go up from ₹84.60 crore to ₹140 crore as it has been decided to extend it to Plamoodu Junction.

Recently, the DMRC submitted the drawings of the 657-metre two-tier flyover proposed from RMS Junction to Chenthitta along the Overbridge-Thampanoor-Killipalam corridor to Kerala Rapid Transit Corporation Ltd. (KRTL), the Special Purpose Vehicle set up to execute the Light Metro project.

Widening approaches

The approach roads and the three-arm road overbridge across the railway line leading to Kanyakumari will be widened along with this. The DMRC has estimated that the new flyover and allied works will cost ₹180 crore, including ₹20 crore for land.

Already, 10.11 hectares near the CRPF camp Pallipuram has been provided to the KRTL free of cost for setting up Light Metro depot.