Land acquisition gathers pace in Trivandrum’s Karamana-Vellarada Road

The development of the Karamana-Vellarada Road, which connects Poojapura, Peyad, Kattakada, and Kallikadu, has acquired momentum as the project's implementing organisation, the Road Infrastructure Company of Kerala (RICK), breathes new life into it. The project will cost Rs. 2.253 billion to complete. The land purchase process had come to a standstill during the pandemic and was now moving at a glacial pace. Recently, the land acquisition picked up speed as the PWD formed a new team to lead RICK.

RICK is a special purpose vehicle established by the state government to carry out the State Road Improvement Project (SRIP), which aims to construct a first-rate, cutting-edge road network by enhancing the state's current state highways and important district roads. The purchase of land for the project had previously received approval from the revenue department. However, of the 35.5 kilometre Karamana-Kundamankadavu road, only a 5.5 km segment had preliminary land acquisition operations finished. Regarding the acquisition of land on other reaches, there were some disagreements between landowners and the revenue agency. A two-lane road is all that is planned, but property acquisition is difficult because there are approximately 2,000 homes and businesses on either side of the route.

The state government had already given administrative approval for the purchase of 10.4651 hectares of property. On the entire stretch, the border stones have been placed. According to project sources, a meeting of the expert committee was held, and reports about land acquisition for the second and third reaches were received. Soon, a 19(1) notification for the first reach and an 11(1) notification for the second and third reaches will be made public by the revenue authorities. A hearing for the first reach's resettlement and rehabilitation package will shortly be held, according to the revenue authorities.

According to a senior revenue official, the agency is working to wrap up the processes as quickly as possible. The road will continue to be a two-lane road despite being renovated with drainage, walkways, and street lights in accordance with Indian Road Congress standards. The Thiruvananthapuram-Kattakada Road and the area up to Vellarada on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border would be less congested thanks to the stretch.