MALAPPURAM: The district administration will begin the second phase land survey for the widening of NH-66 in the district on Thursday regardless of the raging protest over the issue. As per the latest 3 A notification issued by the Union ministry of surface transport two days ago, 55 hectares along with the 24-km stretch between Kuttippuram and Ponnani under the Edappaly-Kuttipuram section will be surveyed in the second phase.
The proposed land is across Thavanur, Kaladi, Eezhuvathuruthi, Perumbadappu, Veliyankode and Ponnani villages. The land owners have been asked to register complaints within 21 days with the deputy collector in charge of the NH land acquisition. District collector Amit Meena convened a meeting of revenue officials and police on Monday to discuss the land acquisition and review the first phase of the survey between Kuttippuram and Idimuzhikkal.
Of the 54-km stretch of the first phase survey, only 10.25 km remains to be completed. Though the land owners in several parts have intensified their protest, the revenue officials managed to complete the survey with police protection. The survey for the 1.5-km bypass in AR Nagar panchayat was stalled after the violent protest on Friday. The survey here will be resumed as per the outcome of the all-party meeting to be convened by the PWD minister on Wednesday.
