Kerala - Kochi   

Candidates adopt differing stands on metro rail

— Photo: Vipin Chandran

BATTLE-READY: The Lok Sabha candidates at the Ernakulam Press Club on Friday.

KOCHI: Candidates of the leading fronts for the Lok Sabha election in Ernakulam constituency echoed different voices on the issue of implementing the metro rail project in the city.

Participating in ‘Angathattu 09’ – a meet-the-candidate programme organised by the Ernakulam Press Club here on Friday, K. V. Thomas, United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate, said that the project should be implemented only after holding discussions with all stakeholders.

Refusing to say a specific ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to the project, Mr. Thomas said the Kerala Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which had earlier supported the project, was now opposing it. He said the concerns of the trade body should be addressed before going ahead with the implementation of the project. Stating that the commercially expanding city needed projects to alleviate the traffic congestion, Mr. Thomas cast his vote for flyovers and layered roads in Kochi.

A.N. Radhakrishnan, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate, said that priority should be given for introducing suburban trains. He said the train project should be implemented ahead of the metro rail project, as it would drastically cut down the rush being experienced in the city.

Mr. Radhakrishnan said people from the second towns and nearby districts of Ernakulam were finding it difficult to commute to the city. The introduction of suburban trains will offer a solution to this problem, he said.

Sindhu Joy, Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate, who could not participate in the programme, later told media persons that her party was in favour of implementing the metro rail project. She said there was opposition from a section of the trade bodies against the project. But projects like metro rail were required for addressing the severe traffic snarls in the city, she said.

Mary Francis, independent candidate, said developmental projects should be implemented without affecting the livelihood and shelter of the poor. She called for changes in the law for protecting the rights of the displaced.

The meet-the-candidate programme witnessed a debate revolving around local issues, including severe shortage of drinking water and the mosquito menace in the district. Initiating the debate on the water shortage issue, Mr. Thomas said that areas like Kadamakudy were reeling under severe drinking water shortage. Explaining that piling up of municipal solid waste and water-logging were some of the other issues affecting the public, Mr. Thomas said that focus will be on solving these problems, once he is elected to the Lok Sabha.

Stating that both the UDF and LDF had failed in resolving the problems faced by the people, Mr. Radhakrishnan said that the fronts lacked a vision plan for the development of the city.

Asserting that women voters would support her in the election, Ms. Francis said that the common voter has lost faith in the leading fronts. She said that drinking water scarcity and health problems were also major issues in this election.

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