Kerala High Court stays NH’s land acquisition
The preliminary work to widen the 23.31-km stretch from Edapally to Moothakunnam along the NH 66 (old NH 17) began last December.
Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Monday stayed the land acquisition proceedings for the Edapally-Moothakunnam NH widening project based on the petitions filed by six land owners.
“There will be a stay of issuance of 3D notification,” the court ordered while posting the case for hearing after two weeks.
The petitioners claimed that the authorities were acquiring land for the project without finalising the rehabilitation and resettlement award and the compensation amo-unt to affected parties.
The preliminary work to widen the 23.31-km stretch from Edapally to Moothakunnam along the NH 66 (old NH 17) began last December. The stretch will be widened from the current 30 metres to 45 metres and will comprise a four-lane road and service roads on both sides.
“The authorities in violation of the earlier assurance have forcibly evicted nearly 2,000 families for the second time for road widening. The BOT project should...
be dropped and instead an elevated highway should be considered,” said Hashim Chennampilly, chairman, National Highway Samrakshana Samiti.