KOLLAM: The revenue department has completed the land acquisition for the Kuruppanthara-C-hingavanam railway track doubling project in a commendable effort.
It has handed over 3.9306 hectares of land to the Railways, which sent an appreciation letter to the district collector citing that the doubling works could be completed within 24 months eliminating the bottleneck along the route.
The 16.5-km Ettumanoor-Chingavanam track goes through the acquired land in Athirampuzha, Perumbayikkadu and Muttambalam villages.
With the track doubling, the trains can keep up the timing and the Railways can start new trains.
A meeting convened by the Kottayam district collector as directed by the chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan had promised to complete the land acquisition works before October 25.
The evictees got a higher compensation in compliance with the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation, and Resettlement Act 2013.
They got an additional compensation of Rs 4.60 lakh for loss of homes and jobs.
Some 211 landowners across three villages received Rs 86.49 crore.
The revenue staff worked on Sunday and even on holidays under Kottayam district collector P.K. Sudheer Babu, deputy collector Monsy P. Alexander and special tahsildar Solly Antony to meet the deadline.
"The achievement was a result of the teamwork even avoiding our weekly holidays. We strived hard to meet the target," Baiju Pranavam, a senior clerk-land acquisition (Railways) told DC.
Once constructed, it will be completely electrified along the Thiruvananthapuram - Mangalore route.
