The Hindu : Front Page : All-party meet for 30-metre-wide NHs

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All-party meet for 30-metre-wide NHs

Special Correspondent

V.S. Achuthanandan says an all-party delegation will meet the Prime Minister.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: An all-party conference, convened by Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan here on Tuesday, decided to urge the Centre to scale down the development of National Highways 47 and 17 in view of the problems in land acquisition.

The highways had been proposed to be developed with a width of 60 metres with service roads and shoulders in accordance with National Highway standards. This was then reduced to 45 metres citing difficulties in land acquisition. The conference wanted it to be reduced further to 30 metres (with no service roads).

The Chief Minister told the media after the conference that an all-party delegation would go to New Delhi to represent the matter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Land acquisition proceedings would be stopped until the Centre took a decision on the State's request. Police cases taken against those who protested against land acquisition would be withdrawn with immediate effect.

Mr. Achuthanandan said that the delegation would also request the Central government to exempt the State from the development of the highways on build-operate-and-transfer (BOT) basis. The people of the State were not used to paying toll for travelling on highways. If the people of other States were willing to pay the toll, let them do so. However, the State wanted the Centre to develop its national highways, he said.

Mr. Achuthanandan said the rising number of accidents in the State was not related to the width of the road.

Leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy, who attended the conference with other leaders of the United Democratic Front, said the previous government headed by him had signed an agreement with the Centre for the development of the National Highways with a width of 30 metres. Implementation of this agreement, signed on November 8, 2005, could be insisted upon, he said.

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