The district administration will expedite the survey work for acquiring the remaining land for the development of the Kazhakuttam - Kaliyikkavila NH 47 bypass and to complete it by February 15.
This was stated by District Collector K.N. Satheesh at a meeting convened by Union Minister of State for Human Resource Development Shashi Tharoor here on Wednesday to review the development work on the highway passing through Thiruvananthapuram district.
The officials had been asked to switch over to ‘urgent mission mode’ to complete the work by February 15. If necessary, more manpower would be provided to complete the work, he said.
The survey has been divided into six blocks comprising 203 stretches spread over Kottukal, Kanjiramkulam, Thirupuram, Chenkal, and Karode panchayats in the district.
Dr. Tharoor said the one-year mandatory period after the preliminary notification by which the final land acquisition process was to be completed would expire on March 21.
He urged the officials to take steps to see that unnecessary delays did not affect the Rs.750-crore project.
Regarding the issuing of errata to the original notification in respect of a few stretches, Project director of National Highway Authority of India Venkitakrishnan said the details had been forwarded to the Union Ministry and it would be issued soon.
The progress made on the work relating to the widening of the Karamana- Kaliyikavila stretch of the NH 47 was also discussed at the meeting. Mr. Satheesh said the groundwork for land acquisition was progressing satisfactorily and that it would be handed over by March 31 to the Public Works Department for starting the construction.
Dr. Tharoor reminded the officials that the widening of the congested stretch was a dire need for the people and that every effort should be made to stick to the deadlines to complete it in a time-bound manner.