The Revenue Department on Saturday started the process of verifying documents of plots in connection with the acquisition of land for the widening of the Mananchira-Vellimadukunnu road in the city.
A team of officials including special tahsildar K. Ramla and revenue inspector V. Dileep examined the documents of about 20 persons at the District Collectorate. As many as 30 landowners were intimated about document verification. The process would continue next week, officials said.
Agreements would be signed with landowners after the verification of documents.
Land rates
The land rates had been fixed by the government at the District-Level Purchase Committee (DLPC) and endorsed by the State-Level Empowered Committee (SLEC). The properties of those who refused to hand over their land would be taken over by the government under the land acquisition Act.
The Revenue Department had secured a sum of Rs.25 crore as the first tranche of the funds.
It had been decided to utilise the amount to acquire land at some of the narrowest stretches along the 8.4-km Mananchira-Vellimadukunnu stretch of National Highway 212. The IQRAA Hospital - ADM Bungalow stretch had been identified for this. In fact, the entire stretch from Malaparamba Junction to the Civil Station was a bottleneck even during non-peak hours. As much as Rs.17 crore would be required to improve the junction at Malaparamba, an intersection of Highways 17 and 212.
Amount required
As much as Rs.341 crore would be required to acquire land for widening the entire highway passing through the city. This was worked out by the DLPC and the SLEC committee had endorsed these recommendations, sources said.
The Revenue Department would also make ‘improvements’ on government land on the stretch from the Civil Station to Eranhipalam. The notification to acquire the land would expire on June 4. It would be re-notified if required, District Collector N. Prasanth said.
Nearly 7.36 hectares of land was required for widening the road into a four-lane one. Incidentally, the State Budget had not allocated any funds for the project.
Process to continue, say revenue officials
Agreements to be signed with
landowners
