KOCHI: As the Revenue Department is in the final stage of acquiring land along the Vyttila – Petta Road, the Metro agency has started demolition of shops along the narrow road to widen it.
Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) will hand over the road to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) after widening the narrow stretches which will facilitate Metro construction works from Vyttila to Petta.
Small shops at Thykoodam junction are being demolished after the traders have been provided with a proper rehabilitation package.
Small shops, houses, a clinic, a portion of a petrol pump owned by Reliance and the wall of a residential apartment are being demolished for road widening.
Though initially there was a strong public protest demanding a proper rehabilitation package for evacuees, the residents and traders later agreed to surrender their properties after the state government approved a rehabilitation and resettlement package in May.
KMRL has earlier allocated Rs 25 crore for providing the rehabilitation package which was approved by the government.
“The land acquisition is in the final stage and an agency has been selected through tendering for carrying out the road widening. The firm has already begun the works from Kunnara Park to Thykoodam,” said Elias George, managing director, KMRL. The total land needed to be acquired for widening the road is 410 cents.
The KMRL has earlier signed an agreement with the Ernakulam District Cooperative Bank for availing an additional loan of Rs 470 crore for land acquisition of which Rs 104 crore is for acquiring plots to widen Vyttila – Petta Road.
Meanwhile, sources at DMRC said that construction works beyond Kunnara Park could be started only when KMRL handed over the widened road.
