THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The demolition of the 300 commercial establishments acquired for the Vattiyoorkavu junction and road development project is set to begin within two weeks. The demolition will take a month to complete. The tender to select the contractor for the demolition works will be finalized within a week, as the last date for the tender submission was on Friday.
MLA V K Prasanth stated, “All the proceedings are nearing completion. The widening works will also begin soon after the completion of the demolition”.
Earlier, the demolition was postponed due to the Onam celebrations. The tender for the demolition works was called last month. Prasanth said Rs 21 lakh is fixed as the valuation amount for the building in the first reach. This amount is likely to come down once the valuation of the buildings at all three reaches is completed.
At present, the land acquisition for the first and second phases is complete. The compensation for the affected parties was distributed on May 6, 13, and 17. In March this year, the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) approved the detailed project report (DPR) to implement the first and second phases of the Vattiyoorkavu junction development.
The Kerala Road Fund Board (KRFB) has been designated as the project’s implementing agency.
The project is divided into three reaches: the first reach covers Sasthamangalam to Mannarakonam via Maruthankuzhy, the second reach spans Mannarakonam to Peroorkada via Mannamoola, and the third reach extends from Vattiyoorkavu to Vazhayila via Nettayam.
To rehabilitate the traders affected by the Vattiyoorkavu junction development, a shopping complex will be constructed on the way to Thoppumukku from Mannarakonam. The project is estimated to impact more than 570 establishments across all phases, with over 200 ventures requiring rehabilitation. Three acres of property are being acquired to facilitate this process.
The public works department (PWD) is overseeing the comprehensive development of the Sasthamangalam-Vattiyoorkavu-Peroorkada road, which spans 10.75km and will have a width of 18.5m. The road will be a four-lane thoroughfare with a 0.5m wide median.
