Metro phase-1 acquisition to be over in a month
Kochi: Finally one of the biggest challenges to the Kochi Metro project, that of acquiring land for the first phase, is nearing completion. Revenue Department officials say the exercise will be over in the Aluva-Vytilla stretch in a month.“Post the new order from the state government allowing direct land acquisition, the process has been hastened up. Now out of the total 109.51 hectares, nearly 80 per cent of the land was handed over to the Kochi Metro Rail Authority. The remaining could be completed in 15 to 30 days,” said a senior Revenue department official.
Most of the land owners, barring a handful, have agreed to the compensation amount. “In the case of six plots located in places like Aluva, Kalamassery and MG Road, the cases are already pending before the court. We expect a favourable verdict since we’ve doled out the maximum compensation amount,” she said.
The land owners were given 80 per cent of the compensation amount through cheque and the remaining 20 per cent would be doled out once approved by the state level purchasing committee.
Meanwhile, the land acquisition is yet to begin in the over three-km Vytilla-Pettah stretch. “We are yet to get the funds and hence have not been able to allocate the money,” the officer said.
The metro authorities are planning to complete the Aluva-Vytilla section by the targeted deadline of June 2016. The construction activities in the Vytilla-Pettah stretch will commence as and when the land is made available after the road widening works by the PWD.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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