Kodinada-Vazhimukku road devpt must wait as land owners deny rehab package

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The development of the 1.5-km road from Kodinada to Vazhimukku as part of the Karamana-Kaliyikkavila road project is likely to be delayed as land owners expressed disagreement over the revenue department’s resettlement and rehabilitation (R&R) package. 

The revenue department held a hearing on Tuesday to address the grievances of landowners on the eastern side of the road. Primarily, the landowners disagreed with the government’s one-time resettlement package for the shops and commercial establishments that would lose more than 65% of their property. However, the district administration will hold a review meeting soon to reach a consensus over the issue.

Salim, a landowner who runs a shop at Balaramapuram junction, said that they unanimously disagreed with the one-time settlement of Rs 1.5 lakh in the R&R package. “We demand at least Rs 5 lakh as a one-time settlement to those who lose their shops. In fact, it has nothing to do with land price.

As a land owner, we get the resettlement package as well as compensation for the land. But there are many traders who have taken the shops on rent. Many people are working in such shops. So the one-time settlement of Rs 1.5 lakh is insufficient and it is an injustice. The district collector will hold a review meeting soon to discuss the issue, and we hope the issue will be resolved,” he said.

The land owners said that the one-time settlement and land value will be higher while acquiring land between Kodinada and Vedivachankovil. “During acquisition, the landowners and shop owners were given Rs 2 lakh as one-time settlement, while they got Rs 14.5 lakh as land value per one cent of land. But at junctions, the price is likely to come down,” Salim added. Meanwhile, the hearing with land owners on the western side of the road will be held on October 10. A review meeting will be held later to hear their grievances.

Meanwhile the compensation distribution is likely to begin in December. According to Jacob Sanjay John, deputy collector (Land acquisition) , the proceedings are on and the hearings are only a routine process as part of land acquisition. An official in the land acquisition wing told TNIE that the government is moving ahead with the project to ensure the distribution of compensation by December.

“After the next hearing, we will finalise the estimate for the value of land and buildings. The PWD has been asked to estimate the value of buildings. So it will take two more months and we expect to give compensation to the owners in December itself. After that, the Kerala Road Fund Board can go ahead with tender proceedings,” the official said.

Alignment
As per the present plan, land will be acquired through the Old Rajapatha Road near Thykkapalli mosque. Revenue officials said there will be minimal land acquisition on the 300-m-long Old Rajapatha stretch as most of the land is already in the state’s possession. Only a small portion of land needs to be acquired from private owners. The second reach of the six-lane Karamana-Kaliyikkavila highway, from Pravachambalam to Kodinada in Balaramapuram, was commissioned in February last year.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The development of the 1.5-km road from Kodinada to Vazhimukku as part of the Karamana-Kaliyikkavila road project is likely to be delayed as land owners expressed disagreement over the revenue department’s resettlement and rehabilitation (R&R) package.  The revenue department held a hearing on Tuesday to address the grievances of landowners on the eastern side of the road. Primarily, the landowners disagreed with the government’s one-time resettlement package for the shops and commercial establishments that would lose more than 65% of their property. However, the district administration will hold a review meeting soon to reach a consensus over the issue. Salim, a landowner who runs a shop at Balaramapuram junction, said that they unanimously disagreed with the one-time settlement of Rs 1.5 lakh in the R&R package. “We demand at least Rs 5 lakh as a one-time settlement to those who lose their shops. In fact, it has nothing to do with land price. As a land owner, we get the resettlement package as well as compensation for the land. But there are many traders who have taken the shops on rent. Many people are working in such shops. So the one-time settlement of Rs 1.5 lakh is insufficient and it is an injustice. The district collector will hold a review meeting soon to discuss the issue, and we hope the issue will be resolved,” he said. The land owners said that the one-time settlement and land value will be higher while acquiring land between Kodinada and Vedivachankovil. “During acquisition, the landowners and shop owners were given Rs 2 lakh as one-time settlement, while they got Rs 14.5 lakh as land value per one cent of land. But at junctions, the price is likely to come down,” Salim added. Meanwhile, the hearing with land owners on the western side of the road will be held on October 10. A review meeting will be held later to hear their grievances. Meanwhile the compensation distribution is likely to begin in December. According to Jacob Sanjay John, deputy collector (Land acquisition) , the proceedings are on and the hearings are only a routine process as part of land acquisition. An official in the land acquisition wing told TNIE that the government is moving ahead with the project to ensure the distribution of compensation by December. “After the next hearing, we will finalise the estimate for the value of land and buildings. The PWD has been asked to estimate the value of buildings. So it will take two more months and we expect to give compensation to the owners in December itself. After that, the Kerala Road Fund Board can go ahead with tender proceedings,” the official said. Alignment As per the present plan, land will be acquired through the Old Rajapatha Road near Thykkapalli mosque. Revenue officials said there will be minimal land acquisition on the 300-m-long Old Rajapatha stretch as most of the land is already in the state’s possession. Only a small portion of land needs to be acquired from private owners. The second reach of the six-lane Karamana-Kaliyikkavila highway, from Pravachambalam to Kodinada in Balaramapuram, was commissioned in February last year.