Widening of NH 66 to begin within six months

ALAPPUZHA: PWD minister G Sudhakaran has said that the alignment for the widening of national highway 66 from Cherthala to Kazhakkoottam has been finalized and the construction works will be kicked off within six months. He was speaking at a high level meeting held at collectorate conference hall here on Friday.
"The land acquisition for the project will be done in transparent way without any partiality.The 172.80 Km NH will be widened making the total width of the NH in 45 metre. The land will be acquired from the current road’s both sides equally (7.5 metre from both sides). The 81 percent land for the project will be acquired equally from both the sides. Earlier, only 21 percent of the land was decided to be acquired equally from both the sides. However, at the behest of the PWD minister, the revenue officials decided to acquire 81 percent of the land equally from both the sides. The 19 percent land for the project could not be acquired equally from both the sides owing to the presence of sea, river and religious institutions. The compensation will be given in tune with the order of union government issued in 2013 for acquiring land for government projects," he said.
Sudhakaran said that in order to widen the bridges on the NH, new two lane parallel bridges will be constructed at Kakkazham ROB, Krishnapuram, Chavara and Neendakara. A new four lane bridge will be constructed at Thottapally spillway apart from the current bridge. Apart from fly over at Alappuzha beach, a two- lane bridge will be constructed as part of Alappuzha bypass works.
The revenue officials informed that as many as 116.21 hectare from three taluks will be acquired for the widening in the district. The state government needs to give compensation to the owners of 4500 buildings apart from 25 religious institutions properties. Except five buildings owners, all others agreed to surrender their properties for the widening. Once the notification for land acquisition is issued, the market value of the buildings and the land at the time of the acquisition will be given as compensation to the owners. The land for the widening will be acquired from 31 villages of Cherthala, Ambalappuzha and Karthikapally.