The National Highway Protection Council (NHPC) has warmly received the Kerala government’s updated stance presented to the High Court concerning the halted construction along the 14.5-kilometer Neriamangalam-Valara section of the vital Kochi-Dhanushkodi National Highway.
According to Rasak Chooravelil, general convener of the NHPC, this fresh affidavit—which now classifies the land through which the road passes as revenue land, a departure from the previous claim of it being reserve forest land—represents a significant triumph for the people of Idukki. This reversal is particularly impactful given that the High Court had, in July, issued an order to pause road-widening and tree-felling activities after a petition was lodged by Idukki-based environmentalist M.N. Jayachandran.
Idukki MP Dean Kuriakose echoed this sentiment, also hailing the submission of the new affidavit as a clear victory for the local populace. The High Court is scheduled to further examine the case on October 13. This Neriamangalam-Valara stretch is not merely a local route but a crucial artery, linking the plains to the popular Munnar hill station.