Kerala PWD approves ₹3.26 crore plan to strengthen evictee rehabilitation sites

The Kerala Public Works Department has greenlit a ₹3.26-crore scheme to strengthen three plots designated for families evicted due to the Vallarpadam International Container Transshipment Terminal development project in Kochi. The infrastructure project targets two marshy sites at Thuthiyoor and a third plot at Mulavukad, addressing persistent ground stability issues that have concerned displaced residents.

Two of the targeted plots at Thuthiyoor have been allotted to 56 and 118 families respectively, while the Mulavukad site accommodates 14 families. The rehabilitation beneficiaries have consistently demanded improvements to the marshy terrain, citing concerns about the viability of constructing permanent dwellings on unstable ground.

The fortification project represents a significant step toward resolving infrastructure challenges that have plagued the rehabilitation effort since the port terminal project's inception. By addressing the ground stability issues, the PWD initiative aims to enable beneficiaries to develop sustainable housing and livelihood arrangements on the allocated plots.

The Vallarpadam terminal, one of India's major transshipment facilities, had necessitated the relocation of multiple communities to make way for port expansion. The current infrastructure development scheme reflects the government's commitment to improving living conditions at the designated rehabilitation sites and ensuring that displaced families can establish stable settlements.