High Court Directs NHAI To Examine Fly Over Request By Kayamkulam People’s Forum, Next Hearing On Monday

In two petitions by Kayamkulam People’s Forum, Kerala High Court on Thursday directed the project officer or such other competent Authority of the National Highway Authority of India to examine the request of the petitioners, which is an elevated fly over in one of the busiest junctions in the area, in a dispassionate manner and inform the Court if any alternative proposals or suggestions can be made, so as to alleviate the problem now projected.

Looking at the petitions, Justice Devan Ramachandran observed that the request of the petitioners in both the cases is common, “namely that a ‘Fly-Over’ be provided at the area in question”.

Advocates Sebastian Paul and PA Mohammed Shah, representing the petitioners, pointed out that the junction involved in these cases is a densely populated one, with commercial and educational institutions on either side; and that if a ‘Fly-Over’ is not properly provided, it would have the effect of dissecting the locality.

As the Court has been emphasizing in similar matters, these writ petitions ought not to be treated as being adversarial by the competent Authorities of the National Highway, but in public interest, the Court said.

The interim order by the Court has also said that unless proper planning is implemented in projects of such scale, with an eye for future development and requirements, it would cause inconvenience, rather than convenience.

“Keeping this specific intent in mind, I direct the Project Officer or such other competent Authority of the National Highway Authority of India to examine the request of the petitioners in a dispassionate manner and inform this Court if any alternative proposals or suggestions can be made, so as to alleviate the problem now projected,” the Court said in the interim order and posted the matter for further hearing on January 8, 2024.

Demand for a fly over in Kayamkulam

The locals in Alappuzha’s Kayamkulam have been protesting and sending delegations to various legislative and executive forums for a long time, advocating for a flyover in one of the busiest junctions near the town after the National Highway Authority of India decided to go ahead with the NH-66 widening plans in the area. According to them, the plans are ill-conceived and will jeopardize the entire business, social, cultural, and educational aspirations of one of the most populated areas in the state.

Kayamkulam is one of the oldest mercantile cities in Kerala, and people from all corners depend on its ancient market for business. However, the current NHAI plan to widen NH-66 divides the city into two. Once the plan is implemented, the national highway will act like a wall between the east and west.

According to the latest information, NHAI might construct an underpass at ONK junction, the main junction through which lakhs of people from the west come to Kayamkulam town, where most major basic infrastructure is located. Regarding the proposed underpass, people associated with the current agitation argue that it is not a good idea, as traffic in both directions at the said junction is heavy and expected to increase in the future.

Moreover, there is a human aspect to the plans that people are protesting against. Thousands of students from the west depend on schools and colleges in and around Kayamkulam town for their education. This area has produced first-generation graduates and even 12th pass individuals from recent history. The upward movement in education will be affected if the connection between the east and west of the NH is disrupted by a wall-like road.

Kayamkulam, like many other urban centres in Kerala existed before the introduction of National Highways, and the kinships and friendships are spread across both sides of the current NH. This wall like NH that is coming up is going to break these relationships, people fear.

Locals hope for a positive review of the current plan and consider legal recourse as a last resort. According to the NHAI plan, a total of 176.19 km of NH-66 stretch will be widened in three districts at a combined cost of Rs 18,312.38 crore.