The Kerala High Court has given the Centre four weeks to clarify whether the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the proposed Thiruvananthapuram Outer Ring Road, prolonging uncertainty for around 6,500 landowners awaiting clarity on acquisition and compensation.
The court was hearing a petition filed by five landowners seeking completion of acquisition proceedings and the release of compensation for properties covered by a 3D notification under the National Highways Act. During Thursday’s hearing, the Additional Solicitor General of India sought four weeks to ascertain the progress of the decision on the project. The court posted the case for further hearing on November 27.
The order does not expressly direct the authorities to complete acquisition or disburse compensation during the four-week period. The petitioners have sought directions to finalise acquisition proceedings, pass compensation awards and disburse the amounts while their writ petition remains pending.
The respondents in the case include the Union government, the National Highways Authority of India, the Kerala government, the district collector and land acquisition authorities. The project’s status remains tied to the pending approval from the Centre, according to an NHAI official cited in the report. The official said the acquisition process would move forward based on decisions taken by the competent authorities.
The proposed 62.7-km greenfield highway, designated NH 866, is planned as an access-controlled corridor between Vizhinjam International Seaport and the national highway network at Navaikulam, near the Kollam border. It is intended to improve freight connectivity to the port, ease pressure on existing roads and connect emerging growth centres around Thiruvananthapuram.
The project has faced prolonged delays linked to environmental and land acquisition issues. It has obtained environmental clearance from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, but the pending cabinet decision has continued to affect the next stages of implementation and the acquisition process.
For affected landowners, the delay has created uncertainty over both the timing of compensation and the future status of properties brought under acquisition. S Chandramohan Nair, convener of the Outer Ring Road Action Council representing affected landowners, said the prolonged wait had caused hardship for families awaiting payment and called for the Centre and state authorities to resolve the pending issues with a clear timeline.
The court’s next hearing on November 27 is expected to follow the Centre’s clarification on the status of the cabinet decision.
