Kochi: It took a visit by chief secretary Jiji Thomson to the SmartCity project site to push PWD into action on the roads that connect the city to Infopark.
“Work will begin on Monday to blacktop the roads from IMG to Edachira and from Edachira junction to Brahmapuram,” PWD secretary A.P.M. Muhammed Hanish said here on Friday.
Mr Hanish was addressing reporters after the chief secretary’s review of the SmartCity project. Mr Hanish said the Edachira-Brahmapuram road on which both Infopark and SmartCity stand will be four-laned and readied before the launch of the first phase of the SmartCity, scheduled for early September. The estimate for a 900-metre new road from SmartCity to Karimugal will be prepared before July 31, he said.
The PWD had in March 21 closed the tendering process for the repair and renovation of the road at an estimated cost of '12 crore. It had even issued the work order to the bidder, but the work never started.
Officials of SmartCity and and Infopark had complained that the condition of the roads worsened after it was dug to lay a water pipeline. Most of the 20,000-odd professionals in Inforpark use this road to reach their workplace.
Companies in Infopark had complained that the bad condition of the roads had made business difficult as they found it difficult to invite visitors from abroad given the poor condition of the road though which they would take the visitors.
Even SmartCity officials had complained that they would not be able to attract investors to the ambitious project should the condition of the roads did not improve.
The chief secretary said more approach roads to the project, including the Chakka-raparambu-Holiday Inn-Infopark, Vytilla-Eroor-Seaport Airport road, and Kizhakkamablam-Edachira will be developed in the future.
