The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has agreed to build a new road parallel to the national highway at Pachakkil in the city in place of the one that has been blocked as part of the NH widening process. M.K. Raghavan, MP, and MLA Thottathil Raveendran met NHAI project director Ashuthosh Sinha on Saturday to find a solution to the issue that troubled the residents at Pachakkil Junction.
The issue arose when the small lane from Pachakkil Junction, which is the only way to go out for members of 12 houses in the locality, was blocked when the ground was raised for the approach road to the national highway as part of the ongoing widening process.
“These 12 houses were completely cut off as a 10-foot high wall was built in front of them,” said M.N. Praveen, councillor of the Civil Station ward of the Corporation.
The residents had earlier threatened to go on protest when they came to know about the construction plan. The NHAI authorities had promised them steps to ensure access.
However, it did not work out due to the non-cooperation of the agency that is carrying out the widening work, Mr. Praveen said.
The part of the road that has been blocked and the nearby drainage are part of the land acquired for the widening. The NHAI authorities assured the MP and the MLA that a road would be constructed adjacent to the earlier road to resolve the issue.
