Kochi: Construction of Kochi Metro Rail has started on MG Road, but delay in acquiring land to widen narrow portions of the road is causing traffic blocks and inconvenience to commuters.
According to sources in the land revenue department there are problems in land acquisition on MG Road.
Acquisition of land owned by a textile store has been indefinitely delayed as the negotiation talks between the revenue officials and the shop owners failed to reach a consensus.
Acquiring land belonging to Gandhi Bhavan complex at Kacheripady has been delayed due to objections from tenants in the building.
Land acquisition at the South end is also facing problems due to protests from land owners in the area.
While road widening of Banerjee Road, from Town Hall to Madhava Pharmacy Junction has been progressing and is expected to be completed in a couple of months.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) had ensured a two-lane traffic along the barricaded area, Metro works have added traffic snarls and congestion on MG road.
It has been observed that delay in handing over land to DMRC is slowing down the Metro Rail construction. Sources at DMRC said that the agency is yet to acquire land in several key areas along Aluva to Pettah stretch like Pulinchodu, Edappally Changampuzha Park, Kacheripady, MG Road, Ernakulam South and Vyttila to Pettah.
Widening of MG Road is one of the major preparatory works of Kochi Metro Rail project. DMRC had already completed other preparatory work like construction of Salim Rajan rail over-bridge and reconstruction of north rail over-bridge.
The state government has recently increased financial assistance for the preparatory work of Kochi Metro Rail from Rs 158.68crore to Rs 242.47crore.
Traffic diversion a must for smooth progress: Sreedharan
Kochi: People would have to put up with traffic diversions on some busy stretches of the city like the MG Road for the next three to four months to allow work on the Metro Rail to progress unhindered, warned DMRC principal advisor, E. Sreedharan here on Tuesday.
He , however, added that a four-way lane would be introduced to regulate traffic better in the Aluva-Edaplly section within a week.
“We’ll solve the traffic problems in the Aluva-Edapally section in a week’s time by turning the entire stretch four-lane. This will exclude the central portion where the piling work is underway. But nothing much can be done on city roads that can accommodate only single-lane traffic. Here traffic diversion is the only solution and will last three to four months till the piling work is done,” he said.
The “Metroman’s” assurance came even as local people disrupted work on the Metro Rail at TVS Junction near Kalamassery at noon, demanding widening of the road to make sure there was no traffic congestion while it took shape.
Said Member of Parliament P. Rajeev, who raised the issue with Sreedharan at the DMRC office at the South Railway station, “We requested the Metro authorities to ensure at least two-lane traffic on city roads where the work is underway and they agreed to do so. We also wanted parking space at regular intervals on these roads.”
Contractors demand more personnel
Kochi: Metro work came to a halt at the Kalamassery Casting yard on Tuesday as unions demanded allocation of wages on head count and recruitment of more workers than the 58 currently employed on the project by the contractor, L & T Ltd under an agreement reached in the presence of the district labour commissioner.
The protestors arrived in groups and disrupted the work, according to Metro Rail sources.
“The problem is they are unskilled workers. The pay is currently based on the amount of work done, but now they want it based on head count,” they added.
Responding to a plea by L & T to the DMRC, ‘Metroman’ Sreedharan has reportedly promised to seek the help of the district administration in resolving the issue.
