Kerala - Kochi   

Satellite towns mooted to decongest Kochi

KOCHI: The urgent need to develop satellite towns of Kochi to decongest the city, optimal utilisation of the plenteous waterways for transport, ensuring public-transport connectivity in residential areas and removal of encroachments on roads and waterways were among the key points highlighted at a discussion on ‘Building a greater Kochi' organised here on Saturday.

The panellists called for steps to curb the alarming increase in the number of apartments and other high-rises that are coming up within the limits of the Kochi Corporation, since they were tapping into the already scarce road infrastructure and water and power availability.

Former Chief Secretary D. Babu Paul moderated the discussion that was organised jointly by a private radio channel and a construction company.

Kochiites should get rid of the culture of referring to narrow roads as ‘Broadway', he said, referring to the name by which the narrow commercial street is known. “Though there was opposition when the MG Road was envisaged as a 70 ft road, we now know that it was a futuristic decision. The existing highways would soon be choked with container lorries and goods carriers,” he said and called upon the government to properly compensate and rehabilitate the people who surrender land for roads and other projects.

District Collector Sheik Pareeth said that the high and low tides could be effectively used to clean the city's waterways and to make them navigable once again. “Boats can lessen the strain on road traffic.” Expressing concern at the phenomenal increase in the number of high-rise buildings, he said that Kochi needed satellite towns that were effectively linked to the city. “We should build clover-leaf junctions and flyovers to decongest roads. Considering its track record in Delhi, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation can complete the Kochi metro-rail project in a time-bound manner.”

Chairman of the Town Planning standing committee K.J. Sohan spoke about the plight of ‘voiceless, faceless' people who were being marginalised due to the rapid commercial boom in the city. “Dredging conducted for the Vallarpadam terminal has resulted in the inflow of sea water into the drains, affecting lakhs of people. Only 25 per cent of the city's residents has direct access to public transport. Kochi urgently needs an integrated and intelligent public-transportation system.” Hybi Eden, MLA, called upon the government to evolve a good drainage system to prevent Kochi from becoming a rotten city. “Technology can easily be used for garbage disposal.”

In the absence of a system of mass rapid transportation, the city would become like Mattancherry and lose its identity, said Dominic Presentation, MLA.

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