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• Land acquisition on the Vyttila - Petta stretch is proving to be a difficult task for the Kochi Metro Rail project as public protest is gaining momentum. The district administration was set to complete land acquisition in this stretch within a month, but with authorities yet to resolve the issue the process has come to a halt midway. The public uproar followed Kochi Metro Rail Limited's (KMRL) decision to widen the roads by acquiring 30 metres of land instead of the collector's decision to acquire 26 metre along the same stretch. The Vyttila - Petta Road action council protested saying they will not allow authorities to proceed with KMRL's decision.
• Convener VP Chandran said that the decision to widen the road by 26 metres was taken at a meeting jointly held by district collector P I Sheik Pareeth, MLA Benny Behanan and other representatives. KMRL has no right to overrule this decision, he added. "Many land owners agreed with the collector and were willing to hand over 26 metres of land. The collector had promised that issues will be discussed amicably and now the authorities are silent. We will intensify the protest if the authorities favour KMRL's stand," Chandran said. KMRL has confirmed that it plans to go ahead with its original plan. Explaining why 30 metres of land is required, KMRL managing director Tom Jose said they were following the state government's directive that cites 30 metre wide roads for state highways.
• "The Vyttila - Petta Road is one of the major roads connecting Ernakulam with Muvattupuzha and other eastern districts. The road is already facing traffic congestion and the condition will worsen in the days to come. The only solution is to widen the road as per government directive," he said. "If 30 metres is not acquired along this stretch, there would not be space for utility corridors and parking lot on the side bays," he said. Meanwhile, the district collector said that a meeting will be convened next week to discuss the issue with KMRL officials, the Public Works Ddepartment and the affected parties. "We had already settled the dispute and people were willing to hand over their land. We hope that there will be a favourable decision at the meeting," Pareeth said. KMRL's decision to to widen the roads by acquiring 30 metres of land instead of the collector's decision to acquire 26 metre has led to an uproar.

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