Thiruvananthapuram: Business community doubtful of National Highway work halt

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Alleging vested interests behind the protests against removal of earth for the NH bypass work at Aakkulam, various trade and industry
bodies have urged the government to take immediate steps to resume the work.

Trade and industry bodies under the aegis of the Trivandrum Chamber of Commerce and Industries expressed concerns that the ongoing protests would torpedo the NH bypass work which was a key project for the development of the region. They alleged that a fringe group with vested interests was trying to torpedo the work and demanded that the government institute a probe to expose its ulterior motives.NH bypass widening work was obstructed following protests against taking earth by demolishing a hilly area at Aakkulam that belonged to
the Nirmithi Kendra on Saturday.

A statement from the trade and industry bodies said that the contractor had deposited Rs. 45 lakhs to the department of Mining and Geology and Nirmiti Kendra for permission to take soil and had obtained all mandatory permissions.

“The NH bypass widening work that commenced in June 2015 was supposed to be completed in 24 months. It has already been delayed because of the disruption by fringe groups over cutting trees. We are also concerned about ecology and environment. But we fail to understand the hyper sensitivity of people claiming to be environmentalists’ who only oppose the developmental projects in the state. We believe that they operate with malafide intentions and have to be exposed,” said the statement.