Panel planned to shield landowners from bank recovery claims
Many of these landowners had mortgaged their properties for loans, but submission of land documents to revenue offices two years ago for preliminary scrutiny has since blocked them from completing legal or land transactions.
Sources close to chief minister's office said the CM will personally review cases close to recovery proceedings. "This committee will prevent banks from forcibly auctioning properties while acquisition processes remain stalled," a source noted ahead of the official announcement.
Action council convener S Chandramohan Nair welcomed the move, calling it "a relief for many landowners who surrendered their properties for acquisition." He urged the state to expedite the process, noting that PWD minister P A Mohammed Riyas had promised to raise the issue with NHAI.
The ORR project, planned under Bharatmala Pariyojana, aims to decongest the city by linking Vizhinjam International Seaport to NH 66 at Navaikulam, spanning 62–80 km at an estimated cost of Rs 8,000 crore.
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While the southern stretch from Vizhinjam to Thekkada cleared environmental hearings in 2023, the northern section remains stuck. A Supreme Court ruling on May 16 invalidated post-facto clearances and the lapse of the state environment impact assessment authority (SEIAA) in March delayed further approvals, shifting authority to the Union ministry.
As a result, compensation payments have been frozen despite Rs 700 crore being transferred to NHAI in January.
Land acquisition costs have risen from Rs 1,800 crore to nearly Rs 3,800 crore, with current valuations expiring in Aug. Under the Land Acquisition Act, delays incur 12% annual interest, increasing pressure on both state and central govts.
A high-level meeting chaired by principal secretary to the CM, K M Abraham, has been rescheduled to Aug 20 and will include officials from PWD, NHAI, revenue, and possibly the new landowner committee.
Minister Riyas, overseeing ORR matters, is expected to discuss progress with NHAI at state and central levels. He had earlier said Central approval for the Detailed Project Report (DPR) would arrive by July-end, enabling compensation and tendering. However, an RTI filed in mid-July revealed the DPR is still incomplete, raising fresh concerns over transparency.
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