Land owners to move court

KCOHI: The land owners, on the sides of the Banerji Road along the stretch from Ernakulam Town Hall to Madhava Pharmacy Junction and off the MG Road from the  Jose Junction to Ernakulam Junction Railway Station, who have to surrender land for the Metro Rail project said the price for the land suggested by the District Collector is not acceptable and that they will move court.The land owners convened a meeting at the Hotel Durbar Residency to discuss further steps to be taken. The owners have constituted an association and have elected M V Varghese as its convener. The land owners denied reports that they had accepted the suggestion put forth by the Collector. They are of the opinion that the price suggested by the Collector is not at par with market value. “The price `31.5 lakh per cent suggested by the Collector cannot be accepted as the market value of the land in this area is around  four times higher than the suggested price. The approximate price of land on Banerji Road and MG Road is around `60 lakh per cent,” said Varghese, convener of the association of land owners.He said the land owners are not against a development project. “We are ready to surrender the land. What we demand is a reasonable price. The merchants and owners of shops and establishments in this area are also of the same opinion. The price suggested by the Collector includes the price of land a certain per cent of ex-gratia,” Varghese said.“Besides this, various business establishments, shops, branches of different nationalised banks will have to be shifted once the land is taken over. Building owners, tenants and employees working in various establishments should be given a reasonable compensation. Though there are no houses or apartments, this is a major business area. We will try all possible ways and will also move court, if necessary,” he said. There are around 100 persons who own small plots of land, from two to five cents, along these stretches.