Close to two years after the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) issued the notification for the land acquisition for the Outer Ring Road project under the Capital Region Development Programme, the project continues to be a non-starter with the land required for the project remaining to be acquired.
In the latest development, Kerala Human Rights Commission has directed the Principal Secretary, Public Works Department (PWD), to submit a report within six weeks as to when the compensation for the notified land for the Vizhinjam-Navaikulam Outer Ring Road (NH 866) project can be disbursed.
Commission chairperson Alexander Thomas in a directive, asked the State government that an officer of not less than the rank of joint secretary from the PWD should be present when the case is considered in the April sitting. The order was issued acting on a complaint filed by the office-bearers of Outer Ring Road (ORR) Action Council, who alleged that despite issuing a 3D notification for land acquisition in 11 villages and completing hearings in April and May 2023, no compensation was granted for land acquisition.
The delay in reaching a consensus on cost-sharing between Kerala and the Centre for land acquisition for the project, including main carriageways and service roads, was hampering the progress of the project. Though the Kerala government had decided to shoulder a liability of ₹1,629.24 crore for the construction of the ORR and the Cabinet meeting held on August 7, 2024, ratified the cost-sharing agreement as sought by the Centre, the State has not yet inked the agreement with the Centre, which is imperative for disbursing the fund meant for the land acquisition, said S. Chandramohan Nair, chairman of ORR Action Council.
However, the sources close to the State government confirmed that the process of giving the State share of the fund for the land acquisition to NHAI is under way and the fund meant for the land owners will be given away this financial year as well by the NHAI.
“We have given so far around 106 representations to authorities ranging from the Prime Minister to local MLA seeking an early solution to break the impasse,” said Mr. Nair.
“The process of giving away the money for the land owners is under way for some time and we are hopeful that the NHAI will be in a position to hand over the money to them in a couple of weeks,” says Anu Kumari, District Collector of Thiruvananthapuram.
The Outer Ring Road (ORR) is conceived as a state-of-the-art road corridor which is largely a greenfield alignment that connects Vizhinjam Port on the southern end and Kallamballam Junction on NH-66 leading to Mangalapuram junction and Kollam towards the northern end.
Around 320 ha in 11 villages is required for executing the 73.2 km road project, which is expected to bring huge economic development to the underutilized region where the new NH passes. A satellite township is planned along the region with a comprehensive Master Development Plan Area for Outer Area Growth Corridor (OAGC), which conceptualized for an influence area of ORR of 2.5 km on both sides of ORR.
Published – February 02, 2025 08:16 pm IST