Due to indiscriminate land acquisition for NH
roads and the Alleppy-Ernakulam railway line, certain areas at Kumbalam Island
have become landlocked, preventing further development of roads. Certain wet
lands have become waterlogged, making cultivation impossible. The remaining
land after acquisition was scattered, making cultivation unfeasible. Those who
were neighbours for generations became total strangers over a period of thirty
to forty years, when land acquisition by the government forcibly separated
them, either by a highway or a railway line with high embankments at a height
of seven meters closer to the bridges. These severances remained a “Berlin
Wall” between them. In such events, it is the bounden duty of both central
and state governments to provide sufficiently wide road under bridges (RUBs
with maximum vertical clearance,) road over bridges (ROBs) and wide drains, to
alleviate the hardships and difficulties caused to them. An RUB with 3.5 meters
vertical clearance on PWD Road at Kumbalam south-end was provided for the
passage of light vehicles. This passage is insufficient and inconvenient and
obstructs the flow of heavy trucks and Volvo buses from NH-47 at Kumbalam south
Junction to northern areas of the Island. The RUB with 3 meter vertical
clearance provided at the north end where the railway line cut across Panditji
Road obstructs the passage of even trucks and ordinary buses to either sides of
Panditji Road. Therefore, another wide RUB with 7 meter vertical clearance
beneath railway line at Kumbalam north area close to Kumbalam-Nettoor bridge to
take buses and lorries to either sides of the railway embankment is absolutely
necessary. In order to avert water-logging, a wide drain too is a must
connecting Thirunilath paddy fields on the western side of railway line with
Tharamassery concrete drain on the eastern side at Kumbalam North (situated in
between Re Sy. No. 19 and 20 under Block 15 of Kumbalam Village.) Moreover
bus-bays on NH-66/544 shall be made on all bus stops at Kumbalam, Maradu,
Poonithura and Edappally Vllages to avert major accidents on this highway.
These are the need of the hour.
Excerpts from
NEED OF THE HOUR
By
Joseph
J. Thayamkeril,
Lawyer,
Cochin
josephjthayamkeril.blogspot.com
josephjthayamkeril.google.com
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