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People's initiative to upgrade Kanjani-Vadanappilli road

T. Ramavarman

All-party convention discusses upgradation issue

CHARTING A NEW PATH: A view of the Thrissur-Kanjani-Vadanappilli road.

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 the road into a State Highway would pave the way for a rapid economic growth in the western and south-northern part of the district.

Convention held

Leaders of all political parties, including CPI(M) district secretary P.R. Rajan, CPI leader C.N. Jayadevan, KPCC member Jose Vallur, DCC secretary Ramadas and BJP district vice-president Sudheer G. Kollara attended the convention held at Kanjani on Sunday to press for the upgradation of the road.

The former district panchayat president M.V. Visalakshy, Muslim League district secretary K.A. Harun Rasheed, CPI(M) leader Murali Perunelli, National Congress (Indira) leader Jose Thanikkal, Vadanappilli panchayat president Leena Ramanathan, Arimpur panchayat president K.N. Surendran, Manaloor panchayat president Sasi Pottekkat, Karshaka Congress (Indira) leader Divakaran Kanath, traders' representative C.R. Paul and the Desabhimani news editor Vasudevan Anthikkad spoke at the convention.

The people's representatives from the areas covered by the road, including C.K. Chandrappan, MP (CPI), M.K. Paulson Master, MLA, (Congress), T.N. Prathapan, MLA (Congress), K.P. Rajendran, MLA (CPI), Thrissur Mayor K. Radhakrishnan, (Congress), district panchayat president N.K. Subramanian (CPI) and chairman, Thrissur Urban Development Authority M.K. Kannan (CMP) have extended their support to the demand.

The convention elected an action council with Mr. Jayadevan as the chairman, Mr. Vallur as the vice-chairman and Mr. Perunelli as the general convenor. Panchayat presidents of Manaloor, Arimbur and Vadanappilli will be the convenors of the committee along with Mr. Rasheed and Jestin Jacob.

Mr. Chandrappan, Mr. Prathapan, Mr. Paulson and Mr. Rajendran will be the patrons.

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

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