Date:03/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/03/stories/2008120353610400.htm

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Second phase of KSTP to start soon

Special Correspondent

367.80 km to be covered; land acquisition in progress

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Work on the second phase of the World Bank-aided Kerala State Transport Project (KSTP) would start soon, Public Works Minister Mons Joseph told the Assembly on Tuesday.

Responding to a calling attention motion from V.N. Vasavan (CPI-M), the Minister said project proposal for the second phase, covering 367.80 kilometres, had been cleared by the State Planning Board and would soon be taken up for implementation.

The government had already acquired land for taking up work on 200 km. Land acquisition for the remaining portion of the project was also in progress. The second phase would cover six major roads, he said.

Mr. Joseph said work on the first phase of the KSTP was now in full swing. Maintenance of 925 km of road had been completed and upgrading of 255 km out of the total extent of 600 km was also on. Problems relating to the inland water transport component of the project would be taken up separately and resolved, the Minister said.

Land distribution

Responding to another calling attention motion from Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan (Congress), Revenue Minister K.P. Rajendran said distribution of land to landless SC/ST families would resume in January.

The government had already identified 1,662 acres of land in Devikulam taluk for distribution.

The present government had so far distributed land to 4,810 families.

It was also working on resolving land-related cases which had been pending for the last 25 years and more, Mr. Rajendran said.

To Mr. Radhakrishnan’s allegation that distribution of land to the landless was getting bogged down in cases relating to ecologically fragile lands cornered by land mafia in different parts of the State, the Revenue Minister replied that the matter would be looked into.

He also assured the member that the government would ensure that cases pending in various courts relating to ecologically fragile lands would be handled with care in order to ensure that the government did not suffer defeat in such cases.