Kochi: The ruling UDF government sabotaged the original Rail Over bridge project at Pachalam which was conceived years back and replaced it with a 10-metre wide bridge to safeguard the interests of certain sections, BJP state president V Muraleedharan charged on Monday.
He was speaking after visiting the area, where the locals have been staging a stiff protest for the past several months against the new project being implemented by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).
“The original RoB designed by Kitco had a width of 22-metres. The new one has only 7.5 metres after the provision for a walkway. Where this bridge ends,the road width is just 3.5 metres.
This will result in heavy traffic congestion at Pachalam and the very aim of the RoB will be defeated. Then the only option is to widen the road which will mean evacuation and rehabilitation of 450 families,” he said, while launching the third-phase of the stir.
He demanded a probe into the conspiracy behind the ‘change of mind’ as almost a major portion of the land required for the earlier project had been acquired and the funds allocated.
Meanwhile a meeting presided by Hibi Eden MLA decided to hand over cheques from Wednesday to land owners who part with their land and their institutions for constructing the Pachalam RoB.
District Collector M G Rajamanickam said that 80% of the land cost and a special amount for vacating establishments will be provided. If land owners have more land for being surrendered, it will be considered for acquisition. Landowners also attended the meeting.
