With the Cheranallore Pouravali joining the bandwagon of NGOs that have been crying foul about alleged unscientific construction of drains and service roads in many areas on the 24-km Edappally-Muthakunnam stretch of NH 66 that is being developed into a six-lane NH 66 corridor, and organising a torch-lit protest on Thursday, a meeting of stakeholders was convened here on Friday evening.
Representatives of the agitating organisations, Hibi Eden, MP, T.J. Vinod, MLA, and others conveyed their grievances to, among others, District Collector N.S.K. Umesh and officials of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the agency that is executing the highway’s six-laning work, and the PWD. A site inspection will be done next week, while the agitators demanded publication of the project’s DPR.
The Cheranallor Pouravali alleged that the NHAI remained a mute spectator, even as the firm that had been entrusted with the highway development works was constructing drains that obstructed access to innumerable houses and shops. Other organisations like NH Samara Samiti, Cheranallor Janakeeya Samiti and Cheranaloor Development Committee had been agitating, demanding construction of drains and service roads at the same level as that of plots on either side. Their other demands included construction of wide underpasses at busy junctions for pedestrians and motorists to safely cross over to the other side of the highway.
