Govt corrects own course; Munnar NH set work to resume

# Ajayan

Kochi | Work on NH 85 (Kochi–Dhanushkodi), stalled by a Kerala Government affidavit falsely claiming a 14.5-km stretch as forest land, is expected to resume soon, following the Government’s revision and admission that the area in question falls under the Revenue Department and belongs to the Public Works Department.

Ironically, even as the Government scrambles to showcase its highway achievements before the 2026 Assembly election, the reality on the ground tells another story - stretches collapsing, roads eroding, traffic snarls worsening, and even the Supreme Court voicing its censure. Yet, the delay in a mere 14.5-km stretch of NH 85 stands as a self-inflicted wound, born of the Government’s own false affidavit and bureaucratic obstinacy.

Even as records dating back to 1938 clearly establish that the disputed land lies outside the reserved forest, the State Government’s earlier affidavit chose to disregard this fact. The Travancore Gazette of August 8, 1938, leaves little room for ambiguity: following the collapse of the old Aluva–Munnar road in the devastating floods of 1924, the then ruler of Travancore had earmarked the stretch between Pallivasal and Neriyamangalam for development as part of the Munnar High Range road.

Despite the fact being acknowledged in several official meetings, including one chaired by the Chief Minister, the State Government chose to take a diametrically opposite stand, stalling progress on the 14.5-km Neriamangalam–Valara stretch. Such a reversal not only defies logic but also exposes the disarray and duplicity at the heart of the Government’s handling of the project, for whom is yet to be clear.

Earlier, the High Court had unequivocally ruled that the 100-foot-wide stretch of land lay under PWD possession. Yet, this clarity was muddied when local environmentalist MN Jayachandran filed a counter-affidavit, prompting the State Government to abruptly change its stance and claim the land as forest. The volte-face led the court, on July 11, to suspend the upgradation work on the 14.5-km stretch, citing alleged forest encroachments and pending Union Ministry clearances.

However, in a belated course correction, the State Government informed the court earlier this week that it was withdrawing its erroneous affidavit that had falsely classified the land as forest. The Chief Secretary, appearing on behalf of the Government, submitted a fresh affidavit clarifying that the 100-foot-wide stretch in question is, in fact, revenue land under PWD possession.

With the High Court poised to take up the matter next week, the resumption of work on the 14.5-km Neriamangalam–Valara stretch seems imminent. Yet, the episode lays bare the deep dysfunction and bureaucratic sleight of hand that have stalled essential infrastructure, says local residents. They assert the blame clearly rests with the Government that wavered between fact and fiction at the behest of the forest department, turning a straightforward development project into a needless ordeal.