Kerala: No truce on National Highway width

Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's statement that the government would widen the National Highway  to 45 metres and hasten the land acquisition process has evoked mixed reactions.  The National Highway 17 Action Council has criticised it saying  that Mr Pinarayi did not know the facts.

The  Kerala Government Contractors Association feels that as long as the evictees get a reasonable rehabilitation package, the  NH development in the state can  get a fillip. The PWD officials feel that the government plans will not be easy to implement.

The NH Action Council office-bearers claim that if the chief minister goes ahead with the decision, more than three lakh people will be affected due to land acquisition.  It has planned to launch an agitation against the government move.

“The most affected areas are  Thrissur and Malappuram where over  35, 000 and 25, 000 people respectively  have to be evicted. The previous UDF government could not even rehabilitate 360 families properly belonging to Moolampilly,” said Abu Lais Tenhipalam, Malappuram district committee convener of the council.

He feels that if the UDF government could initiate six -lane development in Karamana – Kaliyikkavila stretch in 30 metres, it can be replicated across the state. But Varghese Kannampally, president of Kerala Government Contractors Association told DC that in the areas where land cannot be acquired, like in Ambalapuzha–Alappuzha stretch of 12 km, only elevated highways can be constructed.

“The LDF Government should take the local people into confidence in the affected areas. They should feel the need for having 45 metre width with 4.5 metre median as it has manifold benefits”, said Kannampally.