THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday said that the land acquisition activities in connection with the widening of National Highway and associated development activities were progressing at a faster pace. Almost 66 per cent of land acquisition related to 18 km Thalassery - Mahe bypass had been completed, 94 per cent of land acquisition is over for 28 km Kozhikode bypass and NHAI has acquired 70 per cent of land for 39 km Thalapady-Chengala stretch.
The tender for the project will be invited in December. The land acquisition for 48 km Chengala Kalikadavu stretch is progressing. Land acquisition is going ahead smoothly in other areas as well. The national highway is being developed at an approximate cost of Rs 32,500 crore. The Chief Minister directed that the coastal highway width will be minimum 12 meters as in the case of high range highway.
The evaluation of projects belonging to 38 departments which began on Monday was complete by Tuesday evening. The Chief Minister was present throughout the evaluation process during which 114 projects were assessed. The government has launched a scheme for connecting 8 rivers in Kasargod and Kannur district for Malabar River Cruise project. The project will be implemented at a cost of Rs 325 crore and will be completed by June 2018.
New Guest Houses: New guest houses will be constructed at Sabarimala and Guruvayur by 2019 end.
Smart Villages: The government has launched project to upgrade 1664 village offices as Smart Villages offices. While 26 village offices were made Smart in 2016-17, 39 more will be modernised during the current financial year.
Parking facilities: A comprehensive parking project will be implemented in six corporations. Local bodies department has decided to formulate a parking policy for the state. A ten storey working women hostel will be completed near Technopark at Kazhakootam. The project being implemented by housing department will be completed by 2020. It will accommodate 1300 persons. Administrative sanction has been given to raise the standards of 10 ITIs to international standards. The project cost is Rs 228 crore.
Diagnostic laboratories to be set up in all primary health centres across the state. The work on converting 848 PHCs to Family Health Centres has begun.
Forest and wildlife: The government has decided to construct 20 km trench to check elephants attacks. Rs 500 crore to be utilised for constructing stadia in all 14 districts. Work on setting up 200 MW Solar Park will be completed by 2019.
Paddy cultivation: As many as 16 major schemes will be implemented to enhance paddy production.
Projects pertaining to departments of ministers K. Raju, J. Mercy Kutty Amma, T. P. Ramakrishnan, G. Sudhakaran, K.K. Shylaja, P. Thilothaman, K. T. Jaleel, V. S. Sunilkumar, Kadkampally Surendran. E. Chandrashekharan, M. M. Mani and A. C. Moideen were evaluated on Tuesday.
