The change in Kerala's stand has come following the Centre's rejection of its request that the width of the National Highway in the State should not be more than 30 metres.

The Union Surface Transport Ministry, however, made it clear that an exception could not be made in the case of Kerala as the Centre had already agreed to its earlier proposal that the width of the national highways should be reduced to 45 metres from the original 60-metre national highway concept.

An all-party delegation led by Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan had met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in May with a request that Kerala be allowed to have only 30-metre-long national highways in view of the special problems faced by the state including high density of population. The Surface Transport Ministry, however, refused to concede Kerala's request.

Consequently, the Kerala Chief Minister again convened an all-party meeting a few days ago to discuss the situation arising out of the Centre's rejection of its proposal. The meeting felt that refusal to fall in line with the Centre's decision would result in the State losing out on the benefits accruing from having 45-metre National Highways.

It was a difficult decision for the Kerala Government to take. But wiser counsels prevailed in the all-party meeting. Kerala CPM secretary Pinarayi Vijayan is learnt to have taken the initiative to evolve a consensus on the sensitive issue.

PWD minister M Vijayakumar was authorized by the meeting to prepare a comprehension package for those evicted for facilitating the National Highway development programme.

Opposition leader Oommen Chandy insisted that the process of eviction should start only after adequate compensation has been paid to the evictees.

The only political party which opposed the 45-metre concept was MP Veerendrakumar's Socialist Janata (Democratic) Party. Solidarity, the political arm of the Jamaat-e-Islami also set its face against 45-metre national highways on the ground that it would mean untold hardships for thousands of families who will be evicted once the land acquisition process starts.

The PWD Engineers organisation has commended the State Government and various parties for agreeing to have 45-metre national highways. The body said that it was a step in the right direction which would not only ensure benefits of development but would also reduce the alarming rise in road accidents in the State. (IPA)