Cashew capital to get new port road

Kollam: The government has sanctioned  Rs 2.43 crore for the construction of a road connecting the city with the Kollam port which will help the smooth transport of containers in the cashew capital of the state.

In the 2009-10 budget, funds had been sanctioned to the Ports Department to take over  71.5 cents of land from  Kochupilammoodu bridge road to the port road from  private parties.

According to P.K. Gurudasan MLA, the amount will be disbursed  and the construction will begin soon.  He has requested the residents to cooperate with the eviction process for the development of the Kollam port.

Only the minimum number of people will have to be evicted as the new road covers the least distance to the port road.  Though many land owners had approached the court against  land acquisition,  the court had cleared the process. When it was nearing completion, the owner of 29.17 cents of the proposed area had got  a stay from the High Court. However, the department has  completed the procedure for the rest of the proposed land.

A tender for Rs 2.91 crore has been floated for the renovation and strengthening of the existing road from Vadi to  Kollam port. Construction of the railway overbridge is progressing and Rs 2.4 crore  has been sanctioned for the renovation of the road from there.