Land Acquisition Begins for Tripunithura–Poothotta Road Widening in Kochi

The long-delayed widening of the Tripunithura–Poothotta road has taken a major step forward with the Ernakulam district administration initiating land acquisition for the project. The district collectorate has formally requested the issuance of the 11(1) notification under the Land Acquisition Act, paving the way for land surveys and building valuations.

The four-laning project, which connects SN Junction in Tripunithura to Poothotta, is being implemented with funding from the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB). Originally planned to acquire 12.34 hectares, the revised alignment now requires 13.2 hectares of land.

Tripunithura MLA K Babu confirmed that the request for the notification has been submitted to the appropriate department. “Once the notification is issued, we will begin land and building surveys, followed by the valuation process,” he said. He added that compensation distribution for the affected properties would begin soon after.

The two-phase project will help to relieve traffic congestion substantially in this fast-growing suburban belt of Kochi. The road is currently an important link between the city and its southeastern suburbs and is subject to dense daily traffic. Upon completion, the corridor will be more connected and cut journey times.

Land acquisition kickstarting the project marks an important milestone in the undertaking that has seen a string of setbacks because of procedure and bureaucratic barriers. The provision of financing by the development agency, along with work having started on the ground already, comes as a relief for local governments and promises implementation of the undertaking at an accelerated speed.

Officials say timely surveys and compensation payouts will be key to maintaining momentum and avoiding further setbacks.