Old Aluva-Munnar road survey: Kerala govt forms 3-member high-level expert committee, report in 3 months
The government has formed a committee following an interim order from the High Court
The government has formed a committee following an interim order from the High Court
The government has formed a committee following an interim order from the High Court
The state government has constituted a high-level expert committee comprising senior officials of the PWD, Forest and Revenue department to look into various aspects in the wake of demand for survey of the old Aluva-Munnar road. The committee has Chandrasekharan, APCCF (Forest Management), Forest Department as the Chairman. Jeevan Babu, Land Revenue Commissioner and Ajith Ramachandran, Chief Engineer, PWD (Roads) will be the two members.
The Committee has been authorised to call for records and documents from any department or statutory body, to consult research institutions, experts, and other stakeholders, and to undertake field inspections as necessary. The government has directed that the committee shall submit its comprehensive report with findings and recommendations within three months.
The government has formed a committee following an interim order from the High Court. Based on a petition filed by Kuttan Gopalan and seven others, the High Court bench comprising Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Basant Balaji issued an order on September 9. The court directed the government to take a considered decision regarding the demand for survey and demarcation of the Old Aluva–Munnar Road from Pooyamkutty to Perumbankuthu, traversing through the Malayattoor Idyara reserved forest.
According to the order issued by the Forest Department, the government noted that the proposed alignment of the road passes through ecologically sensitive forest areas, including reserved forest land and an identified elephant corridor, which requires a comprehensive and high-level examination by subject experts.
The old Munnar-Aluva road passes through the Kuttampuzha, Mankulam, Edamalakudy, and Adimali gram panchayats in Ernakulam and Idukki districts. The petitioners pointed out that if the above road is developed, it will definitely provide better transportation and commute to the general public in the above areas. The Mankulam Grama Panchayat convened a Special Grama Sabha to address concerns raised by the people regarding the redevelopment of the aforementioned road.
Demand has been growing from various quarters to restore the old Munnar-Aluva road and restore traffic. The old road was destroyed during the great flood of 1924. The British then diverted the road from Perumbankuthu via Mankulam to Munnar. In 1933, Rani Sethu Lakshmi Bhai constructed a bridge at Neriyamangalam across the Periyar River and thereby a new road was excavated to Munnar from Kothamangalam to Neriyamangalam via Admiali. According to the petition, due to the construction of a new bridge at Neriyamangalam and as there was no bridge at Thattekad, the prominence of the old road declined, and the traffic was diverted towards Munnar through the new way via Neriyamangalam.