PWD moots proposal to develop Thammanam road on BOT basis.

The uncertainty on widening the Thammanam-Pulleppady road appears to be far from over. The State government has come up with yet another proposal to develop the stretch on a Built, Operate and Transfer basis. The Public Works department will soon begin a study to assess the feasibility of this proposal, taken up in the face of the State government's precarious financial position.

Replying to a submission in this regard from Ernakulam MLA Hibi Eden on Monday, PWD Minister V.K. Ebrahim Kunju said that it would not be practical for the government to take up the work at this point of time owing to the huge financial obligation to the exchequer. For the time being, a plan to ease traffic congestion along the stretch would be chalked out by convening a high-level meeting to be attended by the Chief Minister and it would be implemented using Rs. 25 crore sanctioned by the government and currently parked with the District Collector.

According to the Minister, about 4.0163 hectares of land would have to be acquired for developing it into a 22-metre-wide stretch. The total cost of land acquisition and construction is estimated to be around Rs. 263 crore.

In May this year, a council meeting of the Kochi Corporation had requested the government to take over the road. The issue came up for a discussion during a meeting convened by the Chief Minister three months later in connection with the Kochi metro rail project.

According to Mr.Eden, developing the road will be crucial to decongest the city roads. About 70 per cent of land required for the project-from the Stadium Link Road to Kathrukadavu junction – was given as free surrender by local residents.

The new proposal, however, has drawn flak from the local residents, who termed it as an eye-wash. 'It has been over 20 years since the plan to widen the road was first mooted and the latest proposal is part of the delaying tactics adopted by the authorities', said K.S. Dileep Kumar, general convener of the Samara Samithy.


THE HINDU