RTI shows zero progress on outer ring road in 24 months

Time of India

5 days ago

T'puram: Even as state govt issued a two-month ultimatum to National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to complete land acquisition and compensation disbursal for outer ring road (ORR) project from Vizhinjam to Navaikulam, RTI revelations show that the project did not move beyond its planning stage for the past two years.
According to a Right to Information (RTI) reply received by local resident and affected landowner K Raveendran Nair on June 19, 2025, from the NHAI, the detailed project report (DPR) is still under preparation. Shockingly, this is the same status that was conveyed to him two years ago in a previous RTI reply dated June 27, 2023. Both responses were signed by NHAI project director Debaprasad Sahoo, indicating no visible progress over the last 24 months.
In the latest RTI reply, Sahoo wrote, "Preparation of DPR is under progress. Hence, acquisition has not been started." This aligns with the earlier reply from 2023, exposing the stagnation that continues to plague the crucial infrastructure project.
The ORR, spanning approximately 78km, is aimed at easing traffic congestion in Thiruvananthapuram and linking major hubs including the Vizhinjam port and NH-66 at Navaikulam.
The project, originally conceived over a decade ago, is essential for decongesting city roads and boosting port-related logistics.
However, without completion of DPR, the land acquisition process cannot proceed, effectively stalling all subsequent steps including compensation to affected parties. This directly contradicts state govt's recent push to expedite the project with revenue and transport departments coordinating efforts to clear bottlenecks.
RTI applicant, Nair, whose land falls within the proposed alignment, expressed deep frustration. "For two years, the status has not changed. They are giving the same answer again. How long are they planning to fool the public? If there is no DPR, there is no acquisition and the project is going nowhere," he said.
Nair has been advocating for transparency and clarity regarding the acquisition and compensation timelines, noting that affected landowners have been left in the dark despite the project being featured in multiple budget announcements.
When contacted, Sahoo was unavailable for a comment.
Meanwhile, a senior NHAI official, on condition of anonymity, acknowledged the delay. "DPR preparation is nearing completion and we hope to submit it to the Centre soon. We understand the frustration on the ground, but finalising a DPR for such a large-scale project is complex. Still, we aim to complete it within the next few months," the official said.
Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari recently assured state govt that final approval for DPR would be granted by the end of July. Once that approval comes through, compensation disbursal and the tendering process can only begin. State PWD minister P A Mohamed Riyas also promised that the approval would be received by the end of July.