Alignment concerns delay Vizhinjam-Navaikulam outer ring road project
stated in Parliament that the current alignment has serious design flaws and was now under review.
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In response to a question in Lok Sabha raised by Attingal MP Adoor Prakash, Gadkari confirmed that the initial alignment, determined by the state feasibility study, would result in extensive hill cutting and major ecological damage.
As a result, the alignment was being re-examined in coordination with the state govt to reduce environmental impact.
Originally pitched at 62.7km with an estimated construction cost of Rs 8,000 crore, the project is to be built and managed by National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), under Bharatmala Pariyojana scheme.
Affected landowners, many of whom surrendered their land documents to the revenue department over two years ago, have been left in limbo, waiting for compensation. Even after project approval, compensation is only due once final alignment and clearances are endorsed by the competent authority, a move the MP calls 'a grave injustice'.
Compensation delays stem partly from stalled environmental clearance: the southern sector (Vizhinjam to Thekkada) received clearance in 2023, but the northern section (Thekkada to Navaikulam) remains legally blocked after a May 16, 2025, Supreme Court ruling annulled post-facto green clearance provisions.
The State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) term also lapsed in March and the authority has shifted to the central ministry, further delaying approvals.
Meanwhile, land acquisition costs have doubled, from an initial Rs 1,800 crore to over Rs 3,800 crore, and coverage includes 314 hectares across 24 villages. Valuations are set to expire in Aug, raising urgency, since delayed payment triggers 12% annual interest under the Compensation Act.
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A high-level meeting chaired by chief minister's principal secretary K M Abraham earlier this month instructed NHAI to finalise land acquisition and disburse compensation within two months. Despite Rs 700 crore transferred to NHAI in Jan, no payments have been made. Landowners action council, represented by S Chandramohan Nair, threatened a hunger strike if disbursement doesn't begin soon.
Adoor Prakash insisted that the state must take urgent steps to realise the project and ensure compensation was delivered without further delay. Earlier, PWD minister P A Mohamed Riyas informed the state that the final approval for the project would be granted by the end of July.
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