PWD bypasses road project in RTI reply

The Hindu: Kochi: Tuesday, July 24, 2018.

TRURA files appeal with Information Commissioner

The Thripunithura bypass, which is part of the Kochi-Dhanushkodi National Highway 85 project conceived 25 years ago, does not figure in the Public Works Department’s reply to RTI queries on the status of the project.

In its response to RTI queries raised by the Thripunithura Rajanagari Union of Residents Association (TRURA), the national highway wing of the PWD did not even mention the bypass as part of the project, while merely stating that work had been either completed or the road had been made motorable.

The fact remains that the PWD has not been able to go ahead with the construction of the proposed road from Mattakuzhi to Thripunithura connecting the mini bypass from Maradu to Vaikom Road.

While stone boundaries were marked along 3.8 km from Mattakuzhi to Thiruvankulam, no land acquisition has been made from Thiruvankulam to Andhakarathodu, from where the road could join the mini bypass, cutting across Vaikom Road.

The alignment took years to be finalised, which stalled land acquisition too.

The mini bypass is the only completed stretch of the proposed NH Thripunithura bypass, connecting it to the endpoint of NH 85 at Kundanoor. It is learnt that only five hectares, of the total 34 hectares required, have been acquired for the proposed highway and bypass. After the Centre’s directive on land acquisition becoming States’ responsibility, no work has been done to carry the project forward.

The replies received by TRURA chairman V.P. Prasad to his RTI queries said that all work under the highway project had been either completed or the road had been made motorable.

Shifting of families

For the record, a number of families in the Mamala and Thiruvankulam areas had moved away from the demarcated stretch around 25 years ago. The project was first notified in 1989. Several areas in various locations were frozen, but no work has been done in the notified areas. Over the years, the highway got a new name and number, the older one being known as Kochi-Madurai NH 49.

Mr. Prasad had raised 19 questions on the Kochi-Dhanushkodi national highway project, which was expected to provide a bypass to Thripunithura. However, only four of them were answered by the PWD. “Of the four replies, two were confusing,” he said.

The PWD had said that the national highway stretch falling under the jurisdiction of its Muvattupuzha division was from Kakkanassery to Kundanoor, and that it had been divided into three reaches. The first reach of 13.47 km is a two-lane road the work on which has been completed. The other two stretches of 12 km and 12.61 km are motorable roads, the department said.

The other queries, pertaining to the pending stretch, need for land acquisition, funding, location, direction, alignment of highway and the delay in implementing the project, remained unanswered. The reply to the queries said they lacked clarity.

Now, Mr. Prasad has filed an appeal with the State Information Commissioner after the initial requests were met with the reply that there was nothing more to be clarified on the issue.