DOUBLING OF ERNAKULAM - AMBALAPUZHA ROAD

THE RAILWAY HAS SET ASIDE `205 CRORES FOR LAND ACQUISITION

Kochi: 17 Nov 2021 - The Southern Railway has earmarked `205 crores for land acquisition from Ernakulam to Aroor as part of the doubling of the Ernakulam-Ambalapuzha line at the Ernakulam Collectorate. The land area in the district is 5.87 hectares to be acquired. The land to be acquired in Ernakulam, Maradu, and Kumbalam villages with 76 survey numbers. In  Alappuzha district, 32.198 hectares of land are to be acquired. The acquisition is under the Land Acquisition Act of 2013. The Collector Jafar Malik said that the process for the social impact assessment would begin soon. The Railway had earlier invited contracts for 3 bridges (117 crores) from Ernakulam to the Kumbalam section. The contract will be finalized by the end of this month. Four companies achieved the technical qualification. The construction of 3 bridges, including the Aroor Bridge across the Kaithapuzha Lake, is scheduled to take 2 years. The Railways will also set aside money for land acquisition in the Alappuzha district once the Alappuzha Collector writes a letter. Ernakulam-Kayamkulam (via  Alappuzha) route, which is 100 km long, currently has a double track from Kayamkulam to Ambalapuzha (31 km). The double track is to be constructed on Ambalapuzha - Ernakulam (69 km) route. In June this year, after a long wait, the Railway Board permitted the construction of the Ambalapuzha-Ernakulam second line to be included in Vision 2024. The Railway has said that if the land is acquired before March 2022, the construction of the double-track will be completed and commissioned by 2024.

                                                                                      INPUTS BY – ANJANA Y U ON 16 DECEMBER 2021