NH 66 widening: Double market value offered lures land owners 

KOCHI: A notification published by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways on April 9, for acquisition of 14.61 hectares of land along the 26.8 km stretch of National Highway 66 from Edappally to Moothakunnam has triggered panic among a section of people living on both sides of the highway.
The Ministry has published a list of 607 plots proposed to be acquired to widen the road to 45 m facilitating four-lane traffic on the busy stretch.

While a section of residents oppose acquisition fearing eviction, a majority of the people say they are ready to hand over the land if the government provides adequate amount as compensation. The highway passes through the coastal area which is thickly populated.

The revenue department had started the process of land acquisition in 2018 and alignment stones were planted on private properties proposed to be acquired. The proposal is to acquire 51 hectares of land. 

The local residents had formed National Highway Joint Protest Committee to protest the land acquisition.According to them, though the officials maintain that they will only mark the area, the plan was to go ahead with acquisition. The villagers say there is no concrete proposal to provide rehabilitation to the evicted families.

Special deputy collector for land acquisition M V Anilkumar said that the National Highways Authority is providing double the market value of the land acquired and hence there is not much resistance. “The tahsildar will fix the land value based on the average price of land transactions during the past three years. The structures will be valued by an agency while the price of the trees felled will be fixed by the Forest Department. We have issued 3C notification proposing acquisition and a 3D notification will be issued after conducting hearing. People who have objection to the drive can file their complaints within 21 days,” said Anilkumar.

He said that the NHAI had issued notification fixing the extent and value of the land to be acquired in Edappally and Cheranalloor in January, 2021. “We are providing a smart compensation and there is not much protest. Most of the land owners have reacted positively to the revised compensation package,” said Anilkumar.

Activist N M Pearson, who was in the forefront of the agitation against land acquisition, says most of the residents are now willing to hand over the land. “If the authorities agree to provide a handsome amount as compensation, around 90 per cent of the people will cooperate. Around 900 people will lose their property if the road is widened. They should be provided compensation to purchase land and build a house. The local residents also want the road widening as the traffic snarls in the area have been affecting their lives for decades,” he said.

The land acquisition for the first phase of NH-66 widening started in 1982 and around 4,000 families were affected. People allege that the compensation amount was very low and there was delay in payment. The second phase of acquisition was held from 2000 to 2007.

Widening from Edappally to Moothakunnam

Proposed compensation: 200% of market rate
 Length of the stretch: 24.8km
Road to be widened from 30m to 45m
Families to be affected: 900