Kollam: The yellow marker stones that once triggered widespread protests across the state over the SilverLine project have made a comeback at Chathannoor in Kollam, this time repurposed as National Highway boundary markers.

As part of the National Highway development, the posts are now being installed along the service road towards Kollam to demarcate the highway boundary. Originally manufactured for the K-Rail project, the posts bearing the inscription 'K-Rail' have been given a fresh coat of yellow paint and relabelled 'NHAI' (National Highways Authority of India). Their reuse has raised concerns among local residents, who allege that the posts are being installed without the presence of a surveyor.

Locals fear that fixing boundary markers without proper measurements or site inspections could alter the highway alignment. During the land acquisition process, the Revenue Department had conducted a survey and placed boundary stones at intervals of 40 metres and 20 metres. Most of these stones were subsequently removed during highway construction, with only a few remaining.The concern now is that installing new posts at locations different from those identified in the original survey could change the alignment and trigger boundary disputes in the future.

Residents insist that the old survey records and sketches be examined and the new markers installed at the exact locations identified earlier.Any deviation, they fear, could affect land measurements, the extent of land acquired and the boundaries of the plots left with landowners. They have demanded that the work be carried out in the presence of a surveyor familiar with the original land acquisition records and alignment maps. They have also sought an explanation from the authorities for installing the posts without a surveyor's supervision.

The issue is particularly significant for those who surrendered portions of their land for the highway project but continue to own houses and commercial establishments on the remaining plots. The new markers will determine the boundaries of these properties, making accurate demarcation crucial.

The yellow stones had become a flashpoint during the protests against the SilverLine project initiated by K-Rail, which was scrapped after the UDF government came to power. Their reuse for the National Highway project has now revived questions over the controversial markers.