more-in Piravom MLA Anoop Jacob has appealed to Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) to release land to making the proposed Thiruvankulam bypass a reality. He was addressing a meeting chaired by District Collector K. Mohammed Y. Safirulla to review the progress of work on the Mamala-Chitrapuzha bypass at the collectorate on Thursday. The bypass will resolve the hours-long traffic gridlock on the Thiruvankulam-Karingachira stretch. The land at the start of the proposed bypass is owned by IOC. Construction can be started only if the oil major sets apart 23 cents to the government. Incidentally, Bhavan’s School in the vicinity had allocated 1.50 acres free of cost for the cause. This was in addition to 42 local landowners expressing willingness to surrender land for the road project. However, IOC has been insistent on land price or alternative land for surrendering the land. Mr. Jacob made an alternative proposal whereby IOC retains ownership of the land while giving permission for the construction of the road. The meeting decided to write to the oil company on the proposal. The Collector directed tahsildars, land acquisition deputy collector, and municipal authorities to hold an adalat to take up acquisition of land promised by landowners. Officials of the State Construction Corporation informed the meeting that documents regarding the project had been handed over to the Kerala Road Fund Board. Representatives of Thripunithura municipality, State Construction Corporation, PWD (Roads), NHAI, Revenue Department, IOC, and residents’ association attended the meeting.

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