The Hindu : Kerala / Kochi News : `City yet to prepare for Metro project'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Dec 30, 2005

Kerala

Kerala - Kochi

`City yet to prepare for Metro project'

Staff Reporter

Government to call for Expression of Interest soon; global tenders in January

KOCHI: The Government will soon be calling the Expression of Interest for the Metro Rail project in Kochi and global tenders will be floated early next month. Only the formal go-ahead note from the Union Urban Development Ministry is remaining.

The question now is about the preparedness of the city for such a mega project.

"Unless some action is taken to ease the traffic flow in the city, confusion, congestion and curses will come along with the Metro Rail construction work," said S. Balakrishnan, president of the Ernakulam District Residents' Associations Apex Council.

The Corporation Council is yet to take up the issue. "No councillor has expressed this anxiety and no complaint has been received from the public so far," said Mayor Mercy Williams.

"If the civic authorities do not take immediate steps to prepare for the rail project, it could become a victim of cost and time overruns of a high magnitude," said Mr. Balakrishnan.

A central corridor of seven to eight meters will be cordoned off on the entire route of the proposed line. That will leave only about five to six meters on either side.

"This will be a perfect recipe to road rages, traffic snarls and untold miseries," he said.

"The traffic congestion especially at North, Kacheripady, Madhav Pharmacy and all along MG Road that will last a few years is beyond anyone's imagination. The public will in no time get fed up and cry a halt to the project," he added.

He wondered whether the civic authorities were ready to take up their role with full responsibility. "It needs planning and deliberate implementation of certain steps which can minimise the agony," he said.

Alternative path

An alternative path close to MG Road will somewhat reduce the pressure on M.G. Road. While there is Chittoor Road running from North to South unidirectionally (one way) from Kacherypady to Ravipuram, Market Road parallel to M.G. Road should also be made available for vehicles to move from Shipyard end to Banerjee Road, Mr. Balakrishnan said.

"Market Road is narrow and has many right angle bends. Straightening the bends and widening of this road has to be undertaken on a war footing for which the Government must take the lead. It owns many plots, buildings and houses here, which ought to be shifted out to more convenient locales."

The District Veterinary Hospital, Kanayannoor Taluk Office and KWA offices, storage yard near Dolphin Club and many residential accommodations allotted to senior Government officers and judges are some of the places that the Government can move, he said.

He also suggests that heavy vehicles should be banned on M.G. Road for the duration of construction. Work on Metro Rail at these places should start only after traffic flow without hitches is ensured.

He said it would also be essential to have as many links between Chittoor Road and Market Road with bell mouths at entry junctions so that vehicles that needed to change direction could do so with ease.

Mr. Balakrishnan suggests that traffic congestion in the heart of the city can be eased by not allowing buses from moffusil areas to enter it. A bus terminal at Vyttila will solve this problem, he added.

Completion of the Pullepady rail overbridge will provide a third crossing over the rail line and help ease traffic. Work must be speeded up and completed before the project construction begins.

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