State gives nod for revised alignment

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Putting an end to the inordinate delay in the NH-widening works, the State Government has approved the revised alignment for the Karamana-Kaliyikkavila stretch. The government order in this regard was issued recently.The revised alignment was put forward by a government-appointed committee comprising MLAs and PWD officials. The committee had been entrusted the task of forming a consensus on the disputes regarding the alignment which were causing much delay to the widening works of the 30-km stretch connecting Karmana and Kaliyikkavila. The width of the new stretch will be 30.2 metres.Four major changes have been introduced in the revised alignment. A parallel one-way road will be laid to the existing stretch at Pravachambalam. The existing 16-m wide road will become one-way. A new road was suggested to avoid evicting the families living along the stretch.As per the GO, the wayside cross at Vazhimukku will be removed for land acquisition. Meanwhile, the Thekkeppali mosque at Vazhimukku will be excluded from acquisition. The widening works will begin only 200 metres from the Karamana junction.These are the major suggestions approved by the Government.The Karamana-Kaliyikkavila NH-widening Action Council has welcomed the revised alignment. “Our only concern is regarding the new road planned at Pravachambalam. A number of families staying on the ‘puramboke’ land will be evicted. It may be tedious task. We demand a fair compensation package for them,” it said.The Action Council had earlier accused the local MLAs of causing the delay. Though Chief Minister Oommen Chandy had asked an all-party delegation to sort out the alignment issue in December 3, it took more than two months to come up with a revised alignment.