Outer Ring Road Delayed Amid Compensation, DPR Confusion
ROADS & HIGHWAYS

Outer Ring Road Delayed Amid Compensation, DPR Confusion

Delays continue to cloud the Outer Ring Road (ORR) project as the disbursal of compensation to affected landowners is now unlikely to occur by the previously set deadline of 31 July. Despite assurances from Public Works Minister P A Mohammad Riyas following discussions with Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, the final approval for the Detailed Project Report (DPR) remains pending.
According to officials, a team from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is expected to visit the state next week. The authority has proposed revisions to the ORR route through hilly regions, which may further postpone final clearance. Meanwhile, NHAI sources noted that the DPR is still under review.
K Raveendran Nair, a landowner affected by the project, alleged that the government has begun land acquisition without securing mandatory approvals. “Under PPP guidelines, consent from 70 per cent of landowners is required, which has not been obtained. The 3A notification issued is illegal,” he claimed, adding that RTI documents show no project progress over the past two years.
The Rs 147.67 billion project aims to ease traffic congestion and improve access to the Vizhinjam International Seaport. In December, the Centre instructed the state to revise the DPR to include SGST exemptions and changes to mining laws. The updated DPR was submitted in January 2025.
Chandramohanan Nair, chairman of the Outer Ring Road Vizhinjam-Navayikulam Janakeeya Samiti, said officials have promised that compensation will begin once the NHAI team completes its visit. The Public Works Department secretary also confirmed that approval is expected soon after.

Delays continue to cloud the Outer Ring Road (ORR) project as the disbursal of compensation to affected landowners is now unlikely to occur by the previously set deadline of 31 July. Despite assurances from Public Works Minister P A Mohammad Riyas following discussions with Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, the final approval for the Detailed Project Report (DPR) remains pending.According to officials, a team from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is expected to visit the state next week. The authority has proposed revisions to the ORR route through hilly regions, which may further postpone final clearance. Meanwhile, NHAI sources noted that the DPR is still under review.K Raveendran Nair, a landowner affected by the project, alleged that the government has begun land acquisition without securing mandatory approvals. “Under PPP guidelines, consent from 70 per cent of landowners is required, which has not been obtained. The 3A notification issued is illegal,” he claimed, adding that RTI documents show no project progress over the past two years.The Rs 147.67 billion project aims to ease traffic congestion and improve access to the Vizhinjam International Seaport. In December, the Centre instructed the state to revise the DPR to include SGST exemptions and changes to mining laws. The updated DPR was submitted in January 2025.Chandramohanan Nair, chairman of the Outer Ring Road Vizhinjam-Navayikulam Janakeeya Samiti, said officials have promised that compensation will begin once the NHAI team completes its visit. The Public Works Department secretary also confirmed that approval is expected soon after.

Related Stories

Gold Stories

Next Story
Resources

Schindler named among Forbes’ World’s Best Employers 2026

Schindler has been named among Forbes’ World’s Best Employers 2026, a global ranking recognising companies for their workplace environments.Compiled by Forbes in partnership with Statista, the ranking is based on independent employee feedback, including whether employees would recommend their organisation to friends and family.The company said the recognition reflected its focus on creating a workplace where employees can develop their expertise and build careers. ..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

India needs an export-execution mindset: Vishesh Jain

Interview with Vishesh Jain, Founder & CEO, EximpleWhat gaps in India’s global trade ecosystem led you to build Eximple, and what problem did you see businesses struggling with most?Eximple came out of a problem that all three founders had seen from different choke points in the trade ecosystem. India has millions of MSMEs and manufacturers, and many of them can make products that are genuinely competitive on quality. Yet only a small fraction is able to build meaningful international businesses. In our experience, the gap is usually not manufacturing capability; it is the ability to exe..

Next Story
Building Material

Nuvoco reports 13.5% revenue growth in Q2 FY27

Nuvoco Vistas Corp. Ltd. reported consolidated revenue of Rs 27.9 billion for Q2 FY27, up 13.5% year on year. Cement sales volume rose 9% to 4.7 million tonnes (MMT), while EBITDA increased 11% to Rs 4.11 billion.The company said it began its cement operations in 2014 with a 2.3 MMT per annum (MMTPA) operation at Nimbol. It now aims to reach 35 MMTPA of cement capacity by FY28, nearly 15 times its initial capacity. Its portfolio spans cement, ready-mix concrete and modern building materials.On sustainability and cost efficiency, Nuvoco partnered with CleanMax for a 46.4 MW wind-solar hybrid re..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

SPECIAL OFFER
QR Code