The High Court has asked the government to submit a report on land acquisition for the development of the Kanjani-Vadanappilly road. The court has also sought to know the status of the roadwork before January 15.
The court directive came in the wake of a complaint filed by DCC general secretary Shaji J. Kodankandath citing the pathetic condition of the road. Earlier, the PWD had promised to finish the work of the road by May 31. The petitioner approached the court as it failed to fulfil the promise.
Thrissur-Kanjani-Vadanappilly road is a strategic road connecting the NH 47 to NH 17.
The work was planned in two phases — first phase from West Fort to Eravu and the next from Eravu to Vadanappilly.
PWD officials told the court that administrative sanction was received in August 2015 for works on the 9-km stretch from West Fort to Eravu on the Thrissur-Kanjani-Vadanappilly road.
Tender was called in 2016 for the work and contract was given to finish the work in a year.
But a meeting of elected representatives and officials held in January 2017 insisted that the work should be launched only after acquiring land for a 17-metre wide road.
Thus the work was stalled, the PWD executive engineer told the court.
Funds not allotted
However, the work did not progress as fund for acquiring land was not allotted. The road was damaged totally. Later, the PWD promised to complete repairs of the road, without widening it to 17 metres, by May 31, 2019. But the petitioner approached the court as the PWD failed to complete the work even seven months after it promised to do so.
