Kerala - Kochi   

Councillors resent road works plan

Staff Reporter

Corporation says beautification of roads is its right

KOCHI: The Road Safety Council's move to construct footpaths and beautify the city roads has drawn the wrath of the civic administrators.

The Kochi Corporation council, which met here on Tuesday, took objection to the move and asserted that the right to construct footpaths and beautify the city roads was vested with the council. Replying to the concerns voiced by the council member, A.V. George, Deputy Mayor, who presided over the council meeting, said the council's role was limited to taking steps to reduce traffic snarls in the city and to advise authorities on road safety issues. The council is not expected to construct footpaths, Mr. George said.

Tony Chamminy brought the issue to the notice of the council.

The Road Safety Council had decided to set up traffic lights, repair medians and bus bays and paint zebra lines in the city at an expense of Rs. 57 lakh.

The roads selected include Banerjee Road, M.G. Road, Shanmugham Road and Sahodaran Ayyappan Road. Replacement of traffic light at Judges Avenue Junction and new ones at Kadavanthra and Kathrikadavu junctions and Kaloor were also planned. It had also suggested sprucing up of several arterial roads in the city.

The Safety Council had also decided to permit sponsors to put up advertisements in the stretch that they maintained.

The right to permit any development activities on city roads, including construction of footpaths and erecting advertisement hoardings, are vested with the Corporation, said K.D. Vincent, chairman of the Town Planning Standing Committee. Any such initiative should be introduced in consultation with the Corporation, he said.

K.M. Hamsakunju demanded steps to restore water supply to SRM Road area and removal of waste from city roads.

The Corporation Council's opposition to efforts to improve the infrastructure on city roads has come as a surprise to police officials.

The Council meeting, held on Tuesday, objected to the move to improve the condition of roads and asserted that the right to construct footpaths and beautify the city roads was vested with the council. "We are not interested in beautification at all. What we have been demanding is basic minimum markings on the road, so that the public will know where to stop. Let the agency, be it Corporation or the PWD, take up the work and complete it in a time-bound manner," said Dinendra Kashyap, City Police Commissioner.

The Corporation's objection has come when the civic body was doing joint inspections with the City Traffic Police and Regional Transport Office for identifying parking zones along the main road in the city.

"These works will go ahead as planned. The Council has objected only to the beautification and maintenance of the road. We demand that it should be done in consultation with the Corporation," said C. M. Dinesh Mani, Kochi Mayor.

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