A narrow road is good enough

KOCHI: With the land acquisition procedures for widening the Vyttila-Pettah stretch for the Kochi Metro Rail Project coming to a standstill, the district administration has said that it will acquire 30 metre width but limit it to 26 metre in stretches on places  where it is not possible.“We will try to acquire 30 metre wherever it is possible. But, in places where there are issues, the acquisition will be limited to 26 metres,” Collector P I Sheik Pareeth said.“A meeting will be convened between the officials and representatives of the residents associations. We are  confident that the issue would be resolved amicably,” he added.The land acquisition procedures had come to a standstill in the Vyttila-Pettah stretch following public protest against the decision to acquire land for 30 metre  instead of the proposed 26 metre. “Though the District Administration had decided to acquire 30 metre of land, it was reduced to 26 metre after protest from the public,” Pareeth said. He added that the Kochi Metro Rail Limited wanted to stick to the state government’s directive  of 30 metre width.Meanwhile, Vyttila-Pettah action council general convener V P Chandran said the authorities were taking a double stand in the issue.“On the High Court Junction-Madhava Pharmacy Junction stretch and the MG Road, the width is limited to 26 metre. But, the  authorities want 30 metre in the Vyttila-Pettah stretch,” he said.The land acquisition department has initiated procedures for acquiring land on Banerji Road and MG road. The shop owners  on MG road had agreed to give  their land for road widening.