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People's initiative to upgrade Kanjani-Vadanappilli road

T. Ramavarman

All-party convention today to discuss issue

KANJANI (THRISSUR): People from all walks of life and political affiliations have joined together to get the more-than-two-centuries-old Thrissur-Kanjani-Vadanappilli road upgraded into a State Highway.

The road, though one of the oldest in the district, has been practically left out of much of the developmental initiatives that had taken place in the road sector in the State.

Nearly 100 private buses, Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses, heavy trucks, thousands of cars and two-wheelers and many other vehicles ply through this road which links the district headquarters with the fast-growing coastal belt.

But it remained out of the development plan all these years. The condition of the road becomes pathetic during monsoon with potholes sprouting at every other point.

Coordinator of the action council formed for the development of the road T. Verghese Francis said that upgradation of the road would throw up several other supplementary growth potentials as well.

The Vadanappilli beach, Enamavu dam and the Kandassankadavu boat jetty could be developed into tourist spots, the centuries-old Kandassankadavu market could be expanded into a major trade centre, and Kanjani, which is the nerve centre of the area, could be upgraded into a township.

The improvement of the Thrissur-Kanjani-Vadanappilli road would also lead to the development of the kole lands at Cherupuzha, Perumbuzha, and the areas like Anthikkad, Venkitangu, Puthenpeedika, Arimbur and Manaloor, Mr Verghese said.

Recalling that the Thrissur-Kanjani-Vadanappilli road is the shortest link between the two national highways — NH 17 and NH 47 — passing through the State, Mr. Verghese said the upgradation of this road into a State Highway would pave the way for a rapid economic growth in the western and south-northern part of the district.

He said the people's representatives from the areas covered by the road, including C.K. Chandrappan, MP; M.K. Paulson Master, P.P. George, T.N. Prathapan, K.P. Rajendran, and A.C. Moideen, MLAs, Thrissur Mayor K. Radhakrishnan, district panchayat president N.K. Subramanian and Chairman of the Thrissur Urban Development Authority (TUDA) M.K. Kannan, agreed to take part in a convention to be held on Sunday to press for the upgradation of road.

The office-bearers and members of the local bodies from the area would also attend the convention.

Leaders of all political parties, including CPI(M) district secretary P.R. Rajan, BJP district vice-president Sudheer G. Kollara, Indian Union Muslim League district secretary K.A. Harun Rasheed, National Congress (Indira) leader Jose Thanikkal, Kerala Congress (M) leader C.V. Kuriakkose also agreed to attend the convention.

The initiative won the support of several other sections like the trade bodies, cultural organisations, and non-governmental organisations like the Lions Clubs, Rotary Clubs and Jaycees.

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