
The National Highway Protection Council takes out a long march from Munnam Mile at Valara to the Neriamangalam forest range office in Idukki on Thursday.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
The National Highway Protection Council took out a long march and observed a hartal in Devikulam taluk on Thursday demanding that the ’illegal interventions’ by the Forest department that hinder the widening of the 14.5-km Neriamangalam-Valara-Adimaly stretch of the Kochi-Dhanushkodi National Highway be stopped.
According to the organisers, the long march was taken out from Munnam Mile at Valara to the Neriamangalam forest range office. Kothamangalam diocese vicar general Payas Madathikandathil inaugurated the public meeting at the Neriamangalam town. Council chairman P.M. Baby presided over the meeting.
National Highway Coordination Committee general convener Rasak Chooravelil said that thousands of people joined the protest march.
Following HC order
Recently, the Kerala High Court had issued an order restricting road-widening works and tree felling on the 14.5-km Neriamangalam-Valara-Adimaly stretch of the Kochi-Dhanushkodi National Highway following a petition filed by Idukki-based environmentalist M.N. Jayachandran. “Based on the High Court order, the road widening works were stopped. But the government has not yet taken any step to resolve the issue,” said Mr. Chooravelil.
Meanwhile, the Kothamangalam diocese of the Syro-Malabar Church took out a protest march at Neriamangalam on Thursday demanding that the widening works on the Valara-Neriamangalam stretch be resumed. “The road is the major way connecting the district with Ernakulam and people depend on the road for hospital-, job-, and study-related travel. The government should take immediate steps to resume the construction works on the stretch,” said the protesters.
Published – July 31, 2025 09:09 pm IST