KOCHI: Even as the State Government on Thursday approved a package for evacuees for the Metro project on the Vyttila-Petta stretch, residents and traders of Vyttila-Pettah stretch said that they will continue with the hartal called on Friday in the the area to highlight their cause.
Around 1,000 people will blockade the main road near the Champakkara market from 9.30 am after reaching the place in a procession from Pettah. Vyttila-Pettah Metro Land Acquisition Action Council convener George Antony said that the present District Collector M G Rajamanickam was not transparent in handling issues related to Metro land acquisition.
“There has been no dearth of promises and we want concrete action and hence will continue with our strike,” he said commenting on the state government declaration on Thursday
“Former District Collector Sheikh Pareeth had promised Rs 55,000 for shifting shops and Rs 2 lakh to Rs 6 lakh as compensation for traders who run shops on rented premises.
The former Collector had also promised relocation of the Champakkara market and had identified some puramboke and vacant land nearby for the purpose, but the new Collector has not mentioned it,” said George Antony. A total of 38 families and 145 traders apart from the Champakkara market have to be relocated to facilitate smooth land acquisition.
