Kerala - Kochi   

Vytilla bus terminal to be set up

KOCHI: Concerted efforts would be made by the district panchayat, Kochi Corporation, Greater Cochin Development Authority and other related departments to set up the proposed bus terminal in Vytilla, District Collector M. Beena has said. She was speaking at a meeting held here on Wednesday to discuss the issue.

The meeting unanimously opined that the proposed bus terminal of international standards should come up in Vytilla for the development of the city and the district as a whole.

The Collector said a request would be made to convene a meeting chaired either by the Chief Minister or the Agriculture Minister to resolve the issues surrounding the proposal since a final decision regarding the land under the agriculture department, where the terminal is proposed to be constructed, has to be taken by the government.

The meeting decided to consider the possibility of giving two acres of land owned by the KSRTC near its stand in lieu for the Kerafed land in Vytilla.

Dr. Beena, however, said identifying alternative land in Vytilla would make securing a favourable decision from the government easier. She directed various departments to identify government or other land fit for the purpose.

Dr. Beena said the district panchayat and Corporation have taken a very favourable approach towards the proposed terminal. If the Corporation takes up the project, it can be included in the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). In that case, the Central government would fund 50 per cent of the project cost, the State government 30 per cent and the remaining 20 per cent would be met under the United Nations Development Programme, Mini Antony, Corporation Secretary, said.

Kerafed was not against development, but it had already invested close to Rs. 8 crore in its 18.5 acres of land at Vytilla and was awaiting government approval for starting an international level coconut export firm, M. Ravikumar, managing director, Kerafed, said. Anil Kanjili, chairman of the welfare standing committee of the district panchayat, said the panchayat was ready to give up its land for the project.

The proposed bus terminal would require land ranging between 20 and 30 acres, Johny Sebastian, secretary, GCDA, said. He also said that GCDA was ready to take the initiative to identify land for agriculture department in lieu of its land at Vytilla.

N. Vijayan, principal agriculture officer; P.K. Stephen, deputy transport commissioner; N.M. Sukumaran, regional transport officer, M.S. Jaya and V. Gopalakrishna Pillai, senior town planners; K. Velayudhan Pillai, Kanayannur tahsildar; Smitha Jacob, Thripunithura village officer; and officials of various departments attended the meeting.

Meanwhile, a meet convened by Mayor Mercy Williams on Wednesday decided to include the bus terminal project in the detailed project report for the transport network project of the Corporation.

The transport network project includes proposals for flyovers, underpasses and bridges, which will be implemented with the support of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission. The City Mobility Plan prepared by the Corporation also includes the issue of setting up the bus terminal at Vytilla.

As the land identified for the project is in the possession of the Agriculture Department, it was decided that a delegation should meet the Minister concerned with the request for release of the land. An all-party delegation will soon meet the Minister in this regard, a communication issued by the Mayor said.

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