Land acquisition: court directive to corporation

Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Thursday directed the Secretary, Kochi Corporation and Revenue Divisional Officer, Fort Kochi to appear in person on July 21 to explain about the status of the land acquired for widening the roads in front of the South Railway station.

Justice S.Siri Jagan passed the directive on a writ petition filed by M.S. Omanakuttan of Cheraneloor.

He said that the land was acquired in 1996 for widening the roads in front of the South railway station to ease the traffic congestion.

The land owners freely surrendered their land in lieu of the exemption from building rules granted for constructing multi-storied buildings. However, the government had not taken possession of the surrendered land.

Nor was the surrendered land used for widening the roads in front of the railway station.

The petition sought a directive for taking possession of the land by the government and using the land for development of the roads in front of the railway station.