NHAI approves DPR for outer ring road project by KITCO

06 Oct 2022 CW Team

With Kerala Industrial and Technical Consultancy Organisation (KITCO) submission of the detailed project report (DPR) for the land acquisition to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the development of the proposed Outer Ring Road (ORR) project in the capital has advanced one step.

The DPR has been completed by the NHAI and delivered to the Land Acquisition wing of the district administration. The Resettlement and Rehabilitation package and the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report are among the other parts for which the DPR has not yet been submitted to the NHAI. The project's tender is anticipated to be called by NHAI this fiscal year.

The land acquisition DPR has been finished by NHAI. However, the DPR for other characteristics must be finished before the tendering process can begin, according to P Pradeep, project director for NHAI. “We expect the KITCO to complete the DPR for the entire project this financial year itself. So we can call a tender before the end of this financial year. NHAI is acting fast so as to ensure the speedy completion of preliminary proceedings of the project,” Pradeep said.

The length travels through 31 settlements, according to the DPR. There were 47 villages listed in the state government's initial notification. Sixteen villages have been bypassed by the DPR, though. According to sources, the next stage is to inspect the stretch under the supervision of the collectorate's revenue department with the help of KITCO. Three months are anticipated for the survey's completion. The revenue agency will then publish 3A notification, the initial notice of the land acquisition proceedings.

The tax department had previously assembled a special team of officers to ensure that the project would be completed quickly. In order to secure a seamless takeover of approximately 1,500 acres for the 80km road project under the Centre's Bharatmala Pariyojana scheme, the revenue department established a team of 12 officers, commanded by a special deputy collector, in April of this year.

Pradeep stated that since the Centre was covering half of the project's cost of Rs 48.68 billion, the NHAI would also be involved in land acquisition. The NHAI would oversee the project's execution. In 2019, the Central government gave its in-principle permission to the ORR project. The six-lane road will be 70 metres wide and contain service lanes that are 10 metres wide, according to the plan.

Furthermore, logistical, IT, and entertainment centres will be located on either side of the road from Parippally in Kollam to the NH-66 bypass at Vizhinjam. The project, which will be carried out in two phases, will also create a route that connects MC Road, state highways, and NH-66.

According to sources, the corridor is anticipated to stimulate economic growth on the city's outskirts. Residents of the Mangalapuram-Thekkada stretch, which connects to the ring road, have expressed concerns about losing their homes and property in the meanwhile.