Kerala agrees to 45-m width for national highways

The width of two national highways in Kerala will be 45 metres, up from 30 metres as was planned earlier, said Chief Minister Oommen Chandy after the weekly cabinet meeting here Thursday.

"Kerala was the only state which requested the Centre to fix width of the national highways at 30 metres due to constraints in land acquisition, and the high population density," said the chief minister.

"Today we decided that all those who have to surrender land for national highway development will be given market value of the land," he said.

After the decision, nearly 600 km of roads across Kerala will be 45 metres wide.

"The Centre will chip in with funds and once 80 percent of the land has been acquired, the National Highway Authority of India will step in for building the roads. We have already directed all the district collectors to see the land acquisition is done at the earliest," added Chandy.

He said that a special package has also been readied for those who will see gas pipelines, power lines or water lines running across their property.

"Though compensation would be given for such land, the owners will be able to cultivate these lands," added Chandy.

The government also decided that no toll would be collected on bridges costing less than Rs.10 crore.