Thiruvananthapuram: As the national highway from Kazhakkoottam to Karode is getting ready, the public works department is gearing up to provide better connectivity to the NH from the city. One such project, widening of Pettah-Venpalavattom- Oruvathilkotta stretch is in the process of land acquisition. The revenue department has begun a survey of the land, which should be widened to 14m.The 4.5km road from Pettah-Venpalavattom- Oruvathilkotta is too narrow and often witness heavy traffic blocks. Currently, the road has a varying width of only 8m to 10m. In some stretch near Venpalavattom , even a KSRTC bus could create a traffic snarl. With more institutions coming up and NH getting widened, the stretch is witnessing huge traffic for the past several years. The project is envisaged in such a way that vehicles coming from or going to the NH will get better connectivity without getting affected by the city traffic.According to PWD officials, the project has an estimate of Rs 68 crore, which is approved by Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board. The fund also includes the cost of land acquisition.City-based Institution of Rural Development has undertaken social impact assessment (SIA) study for the project. Public hearing of land owners was held in February end. The IRD has also published the draft report of the SIA recently.According to a PWD official in charge of the work, the stretch from Pettah to Venpalavattom junction would be widened to 14m. “After a 200m stretch, it will join Oruvathilkotta road. There stretches will be widened by 12 metres,” the official said.Land acquisition will be a tedious task in this heavy built-up area. Around 1.837 hectar has to be acquired, most of which belong to private parties. As per the draft SIA report, around 570 land owners and 56 commercial establishments will be affected by land acquisition. Sources said that a section of people have opposed to the land acquisition and demanded equi-distance widening. The SIA report will include all the concerns raised by the local people on the widening.

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