Centre has relaxed land acquisition norms for NH development: Pinarayi

New Delhi: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan Saturday has said the Central government has relaxed the norms for acquisition of land for the development of the National Highway.

“The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has assured us that the tenders will be issued if the state government acquires 60 percent of land,” Pinarayi told reporters in Delhi.

“The state government has given assurance to the Centre that the development of National Highway will be completed timely,” he said.

The National Highway Authority of India had earlier said that it would go for further steps, including tendering of the work, only after 80 per cent of the land acquisition would be over.

Recently, the NHAI had given assurance to the state government at a high-level meeting that it would complete the four-laning of the NH corridors from Kasaragod to Kazhakuttam in the capital in two years if land was handed over to them soon.

The Chief Minister had earlier said that the government was soon going into the implementation of the 45 metre criteria by acquiring land and reminded that interest of the state was more important to take care than that of a person.

There will not be any compromise on 45 metre width for the NH and the government will also look into declare a comprehensive package for the people affecting by the land acquisition.