Kochi: Kerala High Court on Tuesday permitted Kochi Metro Rail Ltd to go ahead with the beautification of Panampilly Nagar as part of the Kochi
Metro project.
The court had earlier asked the authorities not to reduce the width of the road for beautification. Justice Chitambaresh issued the directive on a plea filed by E.X. Judson and three others challenging the beautification scheme. Senior counsel Jaju Babu appearing for KMRL submitted that the fund allotted to the scheme would lapse once the project comes to a halt.
The court, however, imposed stringent conditions, including the ownership of the road in case of a dispute in future. The court also refrained KMRL from setting up bunks (shops) across the stretch, but allowed benches.
The petitioner argued that the area was part of a planned development scheme for Elamkulam west extension area to provide larger areas for housing and developmental canals. However, a modified scheme was submitted by the GCDA.
