The widening of Civil Line Road and Seaport-Airport Road as part of preparatory works for Kochi metro’s Kakkanad (Infopark) extension has been held up, even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone on Thursday for the 11.2-km extension.
The works that began well over a year ago have been held up due to the State government’s delay in releasing funds which was meant mainly to compensate people who had surrendered their land, it is learnt. This has in turn delayed readying of an action plan to develop alternative roads from NH Bypass and other areas to divert traffic when barricades will be erected on Civil Line Road for the metro’s piling works.
Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi (KVVES) district secretary Aziz Moolayil, who is also the president of its Kakkanad unit, said several shops and other buildings on the road have only been partly demolished due to the inordinate delay in paying compensation. “Kochi Metro Rail Limited [KMRL] has also been slack in developing alternative roads like the NH Bypass-Puthiya Road-Palachuvadu-Seaport Airport Road stretch which runs parallel to Civil Line Road, and the road that links Kakkanad NGO Quarters and Edappally, in order to divert vehicles,” he said.
The widening and extension of Thammanam-Pullepady Road that runs parallel to Banerjee Road too is encountering delays. “It takes over an hour to reach Ernakulam, even though piling for the proposed metro extension has not begun,” he said.
Responding to this, KMRL sources said funds had not been released, although ₹102 crore was sanctioned under a government order. Only then can the land acquisition process be completed, following which the corridor ought to be widened to 22 metres.
Kakkanad-based RTI activist Raju Vazhakkala said half-baked drainage and utility duct works had resulted in water stagnating in existing drains on Civil Line Road. “Care must be taken so that the drains exit into canals at Vazhakkala, Chembumukku, etc.,” he said.
KMRL has also been receiving flak for not completing the widening of the Collectorate Junction-Infopark Junction stretch of Seaport-Airport Road over which the metro viaduct will be built.
