Kochi: The opposition councillors belonging to Left Democratic Front staged protest on Thursday at the Corporation Council questioning the wisdom of the leaders of the civic body holding discussions of a water transport system when roads in the city have deteriorated so badly.
‘We are not against inland water transport system. But, now priority should be for repairing the roads”, said Adv. M Anilkumar, a CPM member in the council. The deadline set by the chief minister for repairing the city roads will be over on Friday.
“If the Mayor had shown a similar urgency to call a meeting to repair the roads the situation would have been much better”, he added. The slogan shouting members of the opposition dispersed after the mayor holding a talk. “Our purpose was to highlight the condition of the roads and not to disrupt the meeting of the German bank officials”, Anilkumar said.
The two representatives of the bank meanwhile held discussions with the mayor, Kochi Metro Rail Ltd managing director Elias George and other officials about the inland water transport system in the city.
The Kochi Corporation has not given details of the road repair works undertaken by it, district collector MG Rajamanickam told reporters on Thursday.
The National Highway Authority of India has informed that they have completed 87 per cent of the repair works, while Delhi Metro Rail Corporation completed 65 per cent of the work, he said.
Kochi Mayor Tony Chammany meanwhile said road repair works was hit by the rains. Any meaningful repair work is possible only after a respite from the rains, he said.
