35-Year Old NH Bypass Work Leaves Mahe Natives in the Lurch

16 January 2013   

by Sucheth P R

Mahe: The lives of 270 families in West and East Palloor villages here have been virtually stagnated at many realms since 1978, the year when the unending procedures for the long-pending Thalassery-Mahe national highway bypass commenced. More than a decade had passed since the land acquisition completed in Thalassery municipality and adjacent panchayats in Kerala, but things stood still in Mahe and Palloor constituencies of the Union Territory of Puduchery and the people living in 30 hectares of land, which was notified for acquisition, have been toiling with their properties on which they lost ownership rights for all practical purposes. They cannot sell property, construct new buildings or even renovate houses. Neither the project, which is the most urgent need to ease the region’s traffic woes, was realised nor did the people allow using their land and buildings as they wish. The issue of Mahe residents is indeed pathetic.

“As the land is proposed for NH, no permit will be issued for construction of any building by the Planning Authority and no permission will be granted by the Revenue Department for sale or gifting of properties,” Adv A P Asokan, legal advisor to the Action Council told ‘Express’ on Tuesday.

 The Action Council has been demanding to constitute a district-level purchase committee to negotiate with the affected parties and ensure market prices for land. But it is getting delayed. “A strong lobby of bar and petrol bunk owners here has been actively engaged in torpedoing the project. They are afraid that their business will come to nothing if the bypass is realised and the NH does not touch the town. The people’s representatives could not overcome the influence of this lobby, said Action council convener Kannipoyil Babu. 
“E Valsaraj MLA has been representing Mahe for decades and he was the Home Minister in Puduchery Government. However, he failed to take any earnest effort to find a solution to the burning concern of a large number of people in the region. Palloor MLA A V Sreedharan, who was Deputy Speaker in Puducherry Assembly, also did not involve in the issue sincerely,” council leaders said.

E Valasraj whom ‘Express’ contacted said that he has done everything possible to find a speedy solution to the issue. He added that the allegations raised by the Action Council come from a small group in the leadership who has been nurturing anti-Congress sentiments for a long time.

The Puducheery Collector visited Mahe in last August and promised that immediate action would be taken to ensure reasonable price for the property to be acquired and speed up the project. But later the Collector tried to delay things by raising unwanted concerns. Former Sub-Collector Asok Kumar had taken all initiatives to find a solution but he was soon transferred from here, Babu said. Present Sub-Collector A Arunachalam, however, told ‘Express’ that after he has taken charge in Mahe things have gained momentum. “I personally went to Thalassery RDO office and collected all details of land acquisition there and submitted a detailed report to the Collector. It is up to the Collector to take a decision in this regard,” he said.

Whatever may be the truth behind official explanations, the fact remains that life has come to a stand still for a section of people in the region whose property has in effect been grabbed from them. 

The New Indian Express