SilverLine survey uncertainty puts land owners in quandary, Rs 34.52 cr spent on project

Thiruvananthapuram: Hundreds of land owners across the State whose lands have been marked out for acquisition are facing a predicament owing to delays in the implementation of the projects.

The owners have been living in anxiety for decades in their own “alienated” land owing to uncertainty in the execution of the projects.

The victims of SiverLine are the latest ones to join this list. Even though the owners are relieved over the technical hold imposed on the SilverLine project, their grievances continue.

There is uncertainty over the status of designated lands where survey stones have been placed and those yet to be marked out.

Even before the survey stones were laid, there were restrictions on construction of buildings in lands nearby. Banks too were not entertaining applications for loans on these lands.

The government’s statement that it has not dropped the SilverLine project even after all activities related to it have been stopped, is causing disquiet among the owners.  

2-decade-old distress

Even two decades after the order was passed for acquiring land in Ernakulam district for the Sabari railway line, no activities connected to it have been initiated. Hundreds of families are suffering as they are unable to carry out land transactions owing to this. The problem persists in the taluks of Kunnathunad, Angamaly, Muvattupuzha, and Kothamangalam.

Since the land has been surveyed and stones placed, the owners are unable to sell the lands or to pledge them to banks for obtaining loans.

In Idukki district, hundreds of land owners in areas stretching from Vengalloor to Nellappara are facing a similar situation owing to the Sabari railway line project.

Compensation unpaid

A similar situation prevails in Muvattupuzha where lands have been marked out with survey stones for the Kadathy-Karakkunnam bypass which has been planned as a parallel road to the Kochi-Dhanushkodi highway.

In Tripunithura, no transactions are possible on lands marked out with survey stones 32 years ago for the bypass project. The survey stones were laid in 1989.  Compensation has not been paid in full to owners who surrendered their lands for the project in Thiruvankulam. Survey stones have been laid in acquired lands in Mattakuzhy too for the bypass.

Bar on construction

Residents of areas stretching from Mahe in Kannur district and Valapattanam are facing difficulties after the government began to resume work all of a sudden on the bypass project that has been facing uncertainty for a long period.

Local self-governments had been permitted to allow construction of houses and other buildings in places near project areas. However, the officials did not have any clarity on waterway projects. It was only when officials arrived to survey the land and lay stones that it was revealed that the areas were earmarked for the waterway. After the stones were laid, the construction of buildings including houses came to a halt. The construction of around 25 houses had to be halted mid-way in areas from Kadamboor to Chelora in the district.

Land measuring 239 acres had been taken over at Kanjikode in Palakkad for the much-touted railway factory project of the Central government. Even though the project has been cancelled, the land is still in the hands of the Railway.

The stipulation that a non-objection certificate (NOC) should be obtained from the airport authorities for sanctioning construction activities in Kondotty where the airport is situated, is also causing difficulties. This restriction is in force in over 90% of the lands coming under the Kondotty municipality.

Rs. 34.52 expended; balance Rs. 13 crore

Thiruvananthapuram

An amount of Rs. 34,51,95,425 has been spent on the SilverLine project till now. Of this, Rs. 29,29,82,380 was spent as consultancy fees. Out of this, Rs. 55.92 lakh was paid in October last.

Over and above the money already spent, K-Rail has with it Rs. 13 crore that was allotted by the government for the preliminary work.

For activities such as laying of stones and payment of salaries to the Revenue officials, Rs. 20.5 crore had been sanctioned in the name of the collectors in 11 districts. Of this, Rs. 7 crore has been spent for this purpose. K-Rail has asked the government what to do with the rest of the amount since all activities related to acquisition of land had been stopped till the approval of the Railway Board was obtained.

The money spent on activities such as consultancy and surveying was taken from K-Rails’ share capital fund of Rs. 100 crore that was formed by the Centre and State government.