KOCHI: The Corporation of Kochi and the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) have come out in support of the Ernakulam District Panchayat's proposal for a terminal for Kerala State Road Transport Corporation buses at Vyttila.

At a meeting held at the District Panchayat office at Kakkanad on Thursday, Mayor C.M. Dinesh Mani and GCDA Chairman Antony Isaac discussed the project report for the bus terminal prepared by the ICICI-Kinfra with district panchayat president John P.Mani.

Mr. Isaac said the GCDA was ready to take over the project if the cost runs up only to Rs.10 crores, provided the district panchayat gives the land. The ICICI-Kinfra has drawn up a Rs.30-crore project. The initial budget of Rs.20 crores was increased following the decision to augment the area of the commercial complex with a 16-storey structure.

However, Mr. Isaac said that the GCDA could spend only Rs.10 crores on the project. He said that though the original proposal was up to Rs.30 crores, it would have to be reconsidered, of course after consulting with all bodies concerned.

The GCDA also wanted to operate the project for a minimum period of 30 years after construction on the build, operate and transfer (BOT) system. Mr. Isaac said that the GCDA staff would be able to implement the project and operate it.

The finalised project would be submitted to Chief Minister Oommen Chandy next week, said Mr. Mani.

The meeting also discussed the possibilities of shifting the Agriculture Department's Coconut Nursery to the farms situated at Okkal or Neriamangalam. The production of coconut seedlings would not be reduced, he said.

Regarding the Kerala Kera Karshaka Sahakarana Federation's (Kerafed's) move to set up a factory producing desiccated coconut milk powder at its land at Vyttila, Mr. Mani pointed out that locating a factory at a busy junction like Vyttila would cause pollution.

He said that the district panchayat meeting had requested the Kerafed to withdraw the project.

The project drawn up by ICICI-Kinfra needs at least 25.2 acres of land, with 48 bus bays, 41 idle parking lots and parking facility for outside vehicles including 88 cars and 50 two-wheelers.

The Agriculture Department owns 7.2 acres of land at Vyttila in which a number of offices, including the Assistant Executive Engineer's Office, Regional Agricultural Training Centre, Soil Testing Laboratory, Parasite Breeding Station and Coconut Nursery are located.

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