The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has invited tenders for selecting an agency for fixing the value of land and buildings to be acquired for the widening of National Highway 66 between Thuravoor and Oachira.
Earlier this week, the NHAI started laying alignment stones from Thuravoor. Although merchants and private landowners staged protests, stones were laid at Puthenchantha on Friday with police protection, officials said.
The boundary demarcation is expected to be completed in 20 days.
The plan is to widen the 81.6-km stretch of the NH into four lanes of 45 metres.
The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had earlier issued a notification, which set in motion the process of land acquisition.
126.6 ha
As per the mandatory notification (dated February 15, under Section 3A of the National Highway Act, 1956), 126.6 hectares of government and private land would be acquired for the NH development in the district.
A special unit under the Revenue Department has been entrusted with the land acquisition process.
The officials said all procedures related to acquiring land should be completed within a year for issuing 3D notification (declaration of acquisition).
Otherwise, the 3A notification would become invalid.
The land to be acquired as per the 3A notification is in the villages of Thuravoor South, Pattanakkad, Kadakkarappally, Vayalar East, Cherthala North, Cherthala South, Kokkothamangalam, Thanneermukkom North, Mararikulam North, Kanjikuzhi, Kalavoor, Pathirappally, Mannancherry, Komalapuram, Aryad South, Paravoor, Punnapra, Ambalappuzha, Purakkad, Thrikkunnapuzha, Karuvatta, Kumarapuram, Haripad, Karthikapally, Pallipad, Chingoli, Cheppad, Pathiyoor, Keerikkad, Kayamkulam, and Krishnapuram.