In a significant development for Kochi's infrastructure, the long-stalled Thammanam–Pullepady road widening project has finally received crucial government approval to move forward. The project, envisioned as a seamless east–west corridor through the heart of the city, is now set to begin additional land acquisition after years of bureaucratic delays.
Government Approval and Land Acquisition Details
The State Government has granted formal permission to commence the acquisition of an additional 3.92 hectares of land required for the nearly 4-kilometer stretch. This green signal came after the government approved the mandatory Social Impact Assessment (SIA) study. The Revenue Department issued the official notification, bearing order number 346/2025/RD, on December 24, 2025.
A senior official from the Kerala Road Fund Board (KRFB) confirmed the news, stating that the order accepts the SIA study and authorizes the initiation of the land acquisition process. The required land spans four key villages within Kanayannur taluk: Poonithura, Elamkulam, Ernakulam, and Edappally South.
A Project Deemed a Public Necessity
The district administration has consistently pushed for this four-lane project, labeling it a 'necessity' to alleviate chronic congestion in the city's core areas. The plan also includes widening the Pullepady bridge to ensure uninterrupted traffic flow along the entire corridor.
Recently, the District Collector and an expert committee reviewed the project's socio-economic implications. In a joint recommendation to the state government, they concluded that the public utility of the road expansion outweighs the impact of the acquisition. This approval, however, is contingent on the strict adherence to fair compensation and proper resettlement protocols for affected landowners.
Authorities have projected that the land acquisition will be completed within six months, with compensation to be disbursed to landowners within a year. To prevent further delays, the Public Works Department's engineering section will simultaneously begin the valuation of buildings and other structures on the land.
A History of Delay and Renewed Hope
The project's journey has been marred by prolonged inertia rather than public opposition. Former mayor M Anilkumar pointed out that although the project was announced in 2004, no concrete steps were taken to advance the road widening until 2022.
Despite the delays, there has been notable public support. Over the past two decades, 84 landowners in Ernakulam and Poonithura villages voluntarily surrendered 163 acres for the project. An additional 54 acres were acquired from 45 other landowners.
Landowner Ramesh Mathew shared his two-decade-long wait, having surrendered 1.5 cents of land back in 2004. "I did not pay land tax for the same for 20 years, thinking the acquisition process was ongoing," he said. "I learned much later that the land was only earmarked. But now, there is renewed hope that the project will finally be completed."
Another resident, Ramaswami Sreenivasan, who had lodged a complaint about the inordinate delay, received a reply from KRFB's Thrissur division on December 27, 2025. The communication confirmed that the acquisition process is now in progress and assured that work would be tendered and commenced once the acquisition is complete, requesting the complaint be closed.
With the bureaucratic hurdles finally clearing, Kochi residents can look forward to the tangible progress of a critical infrastructure project that promises to transform the city's traffic landscape.
