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The Kerala Forest Department rejected the proposal of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for the diversion of forest land in two villages — Ayiranalloor and Edamon.
Connecting Kollam in Kerala to Madurai in Tamil Nadu via Thirumangalam was proposed to be developed as a four-lane highway. (Representational Image: Shutterstock)
The alignment of the Kollam greenfield highway is placed under review for the Kadambattukonam-Edamon section after the Kerala Forest Department rejected the proposal of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for the diversion of forest land in two villages — Ayiranalloor and Edamon, Lok Sabha was informed. In a written reply, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said Detailed Project Report (DPR) preparation for Kadambattukonam – Edamon section of NH-744 was awarded.
“As part of DPR, land acquisition is undertaken in accordance with National Highways Act 1956 and compensation is determined as per NH Act 1956 and provisions of Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, as made applicable,” Gadkari said.
The Minister, on being asked if the Government proposes to change the alignment of NH-744, said the state Forest Department has rejected the proposal for the diversion of forest land in Ayiranalloor and Edamon. “The alignment for NH-744 is under review in Madavoor, Ayiranalloor and Edamon villages in Kadambattukonam-Edamon section. Land acquisition in these villages can only proceed after the forest department concurrence on the revised alignment,” he said.
The project is a part of the Bharatmala Pariyojana and will cost about Rs 3,000 crore. A part of the NH-744, the Aryankavu-Edamon-Kadampattukonam stretch is about 62 km. The total land required for Greenfield portion is about 174 hectares in Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam districts.
The greenfield alignment from Kadambattukonam to Edamon is proposed in place of the existing Kollam to Edamon section of NH-744.
Kollam-Thirumanglam National Highway
Connecting Kollam in Kerala to Madurai in Tamil Nadu via Thirumangalam was proposed to be developed as a four-lane highway. The part in Kerala – from Kadambattukonam to Kerala/Tamil Nadu border – is taken up in two packages. A greenfield road from Kadambattukonam to Edamon, the alignment for Edamon to the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border section has been finalised.
As per the official document, in Tamil Nadu the highway will start from the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border to Thirumangalam. The work is taken up in five packages and the work in parts of it has been awarded as well.
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