NHAI officials visit Moolampilly rehabilitation site

Officials of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on Tuesday inspected the rehabilitation site identified under the Moolampilly package — for families evicted for road and rail connectivity to the Vallarpadam International Container Transshipment Terminal — ahead of the construction of a service road.

The visit followed directions issued by the Moolamppilly Package Monitoring Committee chaired by the District Collector. Thirteen families have been allotted title deeds for rehabilitation plots of six cents and five cents each, carved out by reclaiming 1.05 acres along the Moolamppilly river.

Though eight families have already constructed houses on their respective plots, the Moolamppilly Coordination Committee submitted in writing to the monitoring committee that they continue to face travel hardships due to restricted access to the Container Terminal Road. A delegation led by general convener Francis Kalathungal also presented a memorandum to the NHAI team.

Of the 316 families displaced from seven villages, ten were forcefully evicted and their homes demolished on February 6, 2008—a day since observed annually as Moolampilly Day. Families were evicted from Mulavukad, Moolampilly, Kothad, Cheranalloor, Eloor, Manjummal, Vaduthala, Elamakkara and Ponekkara villages without any prior rehabilitation package.