Kerala to speed up land acquisition for NH development.

The Congress-led UDF Government in Kerala today decided to assure the Centre that it would acquire and hand over necessary land to NHAI for developing National Highway stretches at a width of 45 metres.

A decision to this effect was taken against the background of the Centre denying aid to the State for its proposal to develop NH stretches at a width of 30 metres, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy told presspersons after a Cabinet meeting.

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari had said in July the Centre will not extend any assistance under the National Highways programme if the Kerala Government decides to develop NH stretches in the State at a width of 30 metres instead of 45 metres.

Referring to Gadkari's statement that the Kerala Government was not co-operating in National Highways development, Chandy said 'we cannot blame the Centre for that remark.'

Considering the State request for relaxation in conditions in view of scarcity of land, the Centre had reduced the road width to 45 metres from 60 metres followed in other parts of the country. The State had again approached the Centre to reduce the width from 45 to 30 metres.

'The Cabinet has decided to acquire land for developing NH 17 and NH 47 with 45 metres width,' Chandy said, adding the district collectors concerned would be instructed to acquire land as soon as possible.

Chandy also said land owners would be given a good compensation package. Market value for the land would be paid in a timebound manner, Chandy added.

Chandy recalled Prime Minister Narendra Modis remark wondering why the State Government was not using the gas from LNG terminal by completing the pipe-laying work for reducing production costs in public sector Fertilizers and Chemicals Travancore Ltd. in Kochi, when the State sought a financial package for FACT's rejuvenation.

Pipe-laying work of the Gas Authority of India from Kochi terminal to Mangalore has also been halted in the State due to a delay in land acquisition.

Chandy said the Government has decided to speed up the land acquisition process for pipe-laying works, road development and drawing a power transmission line.



HBL