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Hartal in Mulavukad panchayat today

Staff Reporter

To protest against delay in road development work by Goshree Island Development Authority

KOCHI: The Human Rights Protection Samiti, Mulavukad, has called for a hartal in Mulavukad panchayat on Tuesday as a token of protest against the delay in developing the panchayat road.

Although funds have been earmarked for the project, the authorities are not taking up the road development project. The road is badly damaged and the pedestrians and vehicles are finding it extremely difficult to travel through it, D. Selvaraj, secretary of the organisation, said.

The islanders will take out a protest march to Goshree Island Development Authority (GIDA) office, near Kanayannoor taluk office, and will stage a dharna there at 10 a.m. Majnu Komath, convener, Goshree Action Council, will inaugurate the dharna.

Meanwhile, District Collector A.P.M. Mohammad Hanish has said that the road development project can be started immediately provided the landowners were willing to release the required land for the project.

The GIDA is implementing the Rs.10.2-crore-road project using its own fund. The Authority has sought clearance from the Finance Department for the utilisation of the fund. It was earlier decided to widen the 5.5 km-long road that runs through the panchayat. The widened road will have a width of 7 metres.

The decision to widen the road was taken considering the difficulties faced by the islanders following the opening of the bridge and the subsequent cancellation of the ferry services, said the District Collector, who is also the secretary of the GIDA.

It was also decided that the land required for the development of the road be made available with the cooperation of the Panchayat and the residents of the island. The GIDA general council had cleared the project in December last.

The clearance for the project is being sought from various authorities and the proposal is to complete the road development with people's participation. The survey for the road project has been completed. According to the estimate, it would require Rs.6.4-crore for acquiring the land for the project and Rs.3.8 crore for constructing the road, he said.

Mr. Hanish has sought the help of the panchayat and the public for completing the road project and opening of bus service in the island.

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