�NH should have uniform width\'

KOCHI: The national highway should have uniform width across the country to get the benefit from it, said K.K. Kapila, chairman of International Roads Federation. He was addressing a seminar on the �deliberations on the critical need for development of national highway, organised by Kerala Development Forum, an umbrella organisation of various non-political organisations, here on Wednesday.

Focusing on the need for a highway with adequate width, he said about 5,000 people die in road accidents in Kerala every year and the financial loss on account of the accidents is about Rs.600 crore annually. There has to be separate lanes for vehicles which move slow. There should be no accidents because the roads are bad.

The compensation to people affected by land acquisition should be raised in Kerala. Ways should be explored to accommodate the affected in the rear part of the acquired land. He mooted an initiative from the commercial establishments to raise additional funds to meet the expenses of rehabilitation, as a part of corporate social responsibility. He also offered his contribution of Rs.1 lakh towards the fund.