Demand for acquiring land equally from both sides of the road and refixing the alignment came up during a public hearing held on Thursday as part of the Social Impact Assessment (SIA) study for the 443-m flyover at Ulloor Junction.
Those to be displaced on account of the land acquisition for the ₹79.25-crore flyover to come up on the National Highway 66-Medical College Road corridor attended the hearing.
At the hearing held at the auditorium of the Elamkavu temple, Ulloor, action council chairman Anil Kumar said there was no clarity in the draft report of the SIA study by Institution of Rural Development (IRD).
“It seems the alignment for flyover has been altered to save the church at Ulloor,” he said. As many as 95 landowners and 117 business establishments will be affected by the flyover and 0.563 hectares of land will have to be acquired.
Mahendra Babu, who had to part with 0.5 cent of his 1.5 cents owned by him 10 years ago, said he had to forego 0.7 cent for the flyover. “On the opposite side of the road, the authorities had protected the building as only minimum land is being acquired. Tell me, where I should go. Last time, I got compensation after nine-years-and-a-half,” he said.
Mathew, a medical doctor, questioned the alignment that protects the church. “ I am losing half of my house. We will not oppose the flyover if land is taken equally from both sides. We are ready to seek legal remedy.” The priest of the Holy Trinty Chapel said they supported the demand for acquiring land equally from both sides.
‘Based on Natpac study’
Others like Prakash, Sivadasan, and Ramachandran who had to part with their land demanded refixing of the alignment. Ulloor councillor Johnson Joseph also supported the landowners.
Chief General Manager of Kerala Rapid Transit Corporation Ltd. (KRTL) Anand Elamon said the alignment was fixed based on traffic studies by the Natpac.
The IRD will include the suggestions and views in the final report.