The development of two key roads that are long overdue, but would considerably enhance east-west connectivity in the city, are caught in hurdles associated with land acquisition.
The development of Thammanam-Pullepady Road as a four-lane road and its extension to M.G. Road and NH Bypass could have achieved considerable progress but for troubles associated with land acquisition and a slight change in alignment that was proposed earlier this year. The Chilavannur Bund Road that takes off from Thykoodam and is projected to run straight up to Thevara on M.G. Road once land is acquired, too is caught in a similar predicament.
The two roads are expected to considerably decongest Banerjee Road and S.A. Road where traffic hold ups have come to be the norm.
Mayor M. Anilkumar said that the land acquisition for M.G. Road (Padma Junction)-Pullepady-Thammanam-NH Bypass (Chakkaraparambu) Road, would have gained clarity by now but for Kochi Corporation focusing its resources to Brahmapuram garbage yard. “The road project was among the topics I discussed with the District Collector on Saturday. A review meeting will be convened shortly, where the outcome of a joint inspection that was done on the corridor (by officials of Kochi Corporation and the Kerala Road Fund Board) will be discussed.”
In addition, steps ought to be taken to formally hand over the road to Public Works department, which had entrusted KRFB with the widening and extension work.
Chilavannur Bund Road
Referring to Chilavannur Bund Road, Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) sources said efforts are on to acquire land through negotiation, to avoid payment of huge sums as compensation under the Land Acquisition Act of 2013. The work on the road could have taken off by now, but for the stand taken by a couple of organisations that own considerable land on the Thykoodam side of the road. One of them is not satisfied with alternative land that was offered to it.
With the State government not committing to pool in with compensation, the GCDA is attempting to acquire land through negotiation, as was done for developing S.A. Road as a four-lane corridor, it is learnt.
