Decks cleared for link road that will connect State Highway with NH

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has cleared the decks for the implementation of a link road project that would connect a State Highway with a National Highway in Virudhunagar district.

The court was hearing petitions that challenged the implementation of the road link project. Administrative sanction had been accorded for the formation of a link road between Rajapalayam-Sankarankoil-Tirunelveli State Highway to Tirumangalam-Kollam National Highway in Virudhunagar district.

The land acquisition process was completed and disbursement of compensation had started. Out of the lands situated in 73 survey numbers, compensation had been paid to land owners situated in 40 survey numbers. It was at this stage, the petitions were led against the project.

A Division Bench of Justices R. Suresh Kumar and

G. Arul Murugan observed that from the plan submitted, it could be seen that the proposed link road was not disturbing any waterbody and in fact, the link road was implemented by acquiring lands by adopting the procedures.

Major portion of the award amount was paid and the land owners had expressed their willingness. Only after conducting a detailed study and obtaining the opinion of the experts, the government went ahead with the proposed link road so that there can be better connectivity without a£ecting the existing infrastructure, the court observed.

The project which was initiated in 2018 and approved in 2022 has now been stalled in view of the litigation. Any further delay would de nitely be adverse to the interest of the public and result in an increase of the project cost. The authorities can go ahead and implement the link road project, the court observed and dismissed the petitions.