Thiruvananthapuram: Just ahead of a major protest planned by the residents staying near the Karamana-Kaliyikkavila stretch, the national highway wing of
PWD has called for the tender for the works involving second reach from Pravachambalam to Balaramapuram.
The residents were planning a major protest on Wednesday at Pravachambalam and had invited former chief minister Oommen Chandy as the guest when PWD minister G Sudhakaran made a surprise statement announcing the tender.
The state government accepted the detailed project report which estimated the project cost as Rs 111.5 crore. The project is executed with the support of Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board.
A meeting of MLAs, revenue officials and NH officials were held on Monday to discuss hurdles in land acquisition. Rehabilitation of around 22 families at the Old Rajapatha area remains a major hurdle.
Following the announcement of tender for the project, the Karamana-Kaliyikkavila action council withdrew the strike. Mannankal Ramachandran, action council general secretary (Nemom area) said that they have decided to withdraw strike scheduled to be held on Wednesday. “This happens after an inordinate delay. So we will keep a watch on the project. If there is any further delay, we will relaunch the protest,” he said.
“Decisions were made to settle remaining land acquisition cases. Already 93% of land has been handed over by revenue department,” said PWD minister G Sudhakaran.
The state government has handed over Rs 266 crore to district collector for compensation of land acquisition. Administrative sanction for Rs 98.1 crore has been given for the land acquisition of remaining 1.5 km stretch from Balaramapuram to Vazhimukku,” the minister said.
Minister said that draft alignment for the next stretch from Vazhimukku to
Kaliyikkavila will be published soon after incorporating the suggestions received from the public.
“The government has made constructive interventions in the development of Karamana-Kaliyikkavila stretch. Except procedural delay, no other delay has occurred with regard to the project. We have taken steps for completion of the project in a time bound manner,” the minister said adding that people must reject agitations to gain political mileage.
Meanwhile, sources said that hurdles such as shifting of people from Old Rajapatha, cutting of trees and shifting of utilities remain to be completed.
PWD is planning to open tender by May 19. A pre-bid meeting will be held on May 4 or 5.