Kerala gives in to the idea of broad highways

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A few months ago, political parties in Kerala had dumped their ideologies to join hand in demanding that the highways of the state be kept narrow. After prodding from some sections in the state, and the stance of the National Highways Authority that it would not toe the line of the state's demand for narrow highways, the state cabinet today formally approved the idea of having 45-metre highways.

Kerala had demanded to keep its highways to 30-metre breadth as against the national norm of 60 metres set by the National Highways Authority of India. The state requested that it be considered as a special case, considering aspects like the high density of population but the NHAI refused to accept its arguments.

On Tuesday, an all party meeting here arrived at a consensus to have 45-metre highways in the state and the state cabinet approved the suggestion today.

The process of the widening of highways in the state will now hinge on the rehabilitation package that is to be announced for those who will lose land or buildings as a result of road widening. The trader community had vehemently opposed the idea of wide highways, arguing that they would not be able to relocate their businesses with the compensation given to them. A committee headed by PWD minister M Vijayakumar has been given the task of formulating a rehabilitation package.

The larger business community in the state, excluding the traders, had called for wider highways, pointing out that the future growth of the state depended on better road infrastructure and that the existing narrow and congested road network in the state was crippling the growth of the state's economy.