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Time of India
8 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Panel planned to shield landowners from bank recovery claims
Thiruvananthapuram: The state govt is set to form a special committee to protect landowners affected by the Vizhinjam–Navaikulam Outer Ring Road (ORR) project from potential bank recovery actions. 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. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Unsold 2021 Cars Now Almost Free - Prices May Surprise You Unsold Cars | Search Ads Learn More Undo 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. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Time of India
10-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Crucial meeting on Outer Ring Road to discuss compensation disbursal
Thiruvananthapuram : State govt is poised to take a decisive step on Thursday regarding the much-awaited Outer Ring Road (ORR) project from Vizhinjam to Navaikulam at a high-level meeting convened by chief minister's chief principal secretary K M Abraham. It will be attended by representatives from National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), PWD and revenue department. They will discuss pending compensation for hundreds of landowners whose title deeds remain held at revenue offices. Sources said the meeting was to ensure the timely dispensation of compensation to affected landowners. The meeting will also focus on the cost-sharing between state and the Centre, which currently remains at 50-50. Landowners, represented by action council member S Chandramohan Nair, met with NHAI's regional officer A K Janbaz on Monday to voice their growing concerns. "It has been three years and govt should return our title deeds or immediately give us the compensation," Nair said. He warned of an indefinite hunger strike if matters were not resolved soon. "People gave up their land for this project in good faith and development cannot come at the cost of people's basic rights," he added. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Festival del Cinema di Venezia: attenzione puntata sui registi emergenti Punto di Vista Media S.r.l. Scopri di più Undo In May this year, landowners staged a sit-in at NHAI's Chackai office, following which NHAI regional officer B L Meena assured them in writing that compensation would be paid within a month or the project would be cancelled. Yet, disbursements remain stalled, even though district administration transferred Rs 700 crore to NHAI in Jan. Complicating the situation, a Supreme Court ruling on May 16 struck down a 2017 notification permitting post-facto environmental clearances, stalling the northern segment between Thekkada and Navaikulam as the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) committee lapsed in March. While the southern stretch from Vizhinjam to Thekkada received clearance in 2023, the northern section's progress is legally frozen until new clearance procedures are in place. Meanwhile, a senior PWD official said that "After meeting with minister Riyas and Union Minister Gadkari, the Centre was likely to give final approval to the detailed project report by the end of July." The official added that compensation and tendering could begin in Aug.
Time of India
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Outer ring road project runs into hurdle after SC verdict
Thiruvananthapuram: The Supreme Court's May 16 ruling, which struck down a 2017 notification by the Union ministry of environment and forests permitting environmental clearance (EC) after project work had commenced, has dealt a major blow to the outer ring road (ORR) project in the capital. Consequently, compensation payments to affected landowners for the ORR remain in limbo. The National Highways Authority of India ( NHAI ) is still awaiting the environmental clearance from the Union ministry for the project's northern section, stretching from Thekkada to Navaikulam. In contrast, the southern section—from Thekkada to Vizhinjam—received clearance in 2023. Complicating matters further, the tenure of the State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) committee ended in March. With a new committee yet to be constituted, responsibility for granting EC has shifted to the Union ministry. However, the Supreme Court's decision has removed the provision for post-facto approvals, halting further progress on the already delayed project. "This judgment has created an unexpected legal bottleneck," said a senior NHAI official. "We were on the verge of initiating compensation for landowners, but without environmental clearance, we are not legally permitted to proceed. The entire process is now frozen until valid clearance is granted." Envisioned to decongest the city and create a high-speed traffic corridor, the ORR project has faced repeated delays. Construction was expected to begin in April this year after land acquisition, but now, even that initial step stands delayed. "This is a case of administrative delay compounding a legal issue," said S Chandramohan Nair, convener of the action council for affected landowners. "Had the SEIAA committee been reconstituted in time, we wouldn't be in this position. People have waited for months for compensation, and now we're back to square one." "Landowners are losing patience. We supported this project for its public benefit. But with no progress or compensation, we may have no choice but to take to the streets," Nair said. SEIAA officials acknowledged the urgency. "The committee reconstitution is under active consideration by the state govt," an official said. "We expect it to be announced soon, which should help resolve the impasse." Earlier this month, affected landowners staged a sit-in protest at the NHAI regional office in Chackai. They called off the protest after NHAI's Kerala regional officer, BL Meena, assured that compensation would be paid within a month or the project would be cancelled. In Jan 2025, the district administration transferred Rs 700 crore to NHAI for compensation, but no payments have been made to landowners across 11 villages. The Rs 4,767-crore ORR project, sanctioned in Aug 2024, spans 63km and is expected to ease traffic and improve connectivity to the Vizhinjam International Seaport.
