Kochi: The Rs 368-crore Vytilla Mobility Hub second phase project is finally being taken up for implementation after a gap of nearly six months with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan giving nod for reconstitution of the Vytilla Mobility Hub Society (VMHS) Executive Committee. “The chief minister gave the approval in a meet held on Thursday last and we expect the order to be out by Monday. With the LDF ministry in power, formation of a new executive committee is the first step towards taking up the project,” a senior VMHS official said.
While the chief minister is the Governing Body Chairman, the Executive Committee usually includes at least 10 officials from all stakeholders including the Kochi Corporation, the Collector, the GCDA Chairman and the like. “This time, there will be representative from the Kochi Metro Rail Ltd since the Vytilla metro station is coming up inside the Hub,” the official said. This even as Ernakulam Collector K. Mohammed Y. Safirulla took over the additional charge of the VMHS managing director the other day and inspected the Hub infrastructure.
The authorities aim to complete the work before the Kochi Metro starts operation in the section. The The Hub Society had floated tenders four times, including two this year alone – on March and then again on April. The work was to be carried out on DBFOT (Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer mode).
Though the consultancy KITCO prepared an initial Rs 450-crore plan, the executive committee of the Vytilla Mobility Hub Society asked the agency to revise the same citing “high expenditure”. The bidding was done, however, there were no takers despite the deadline being extended by a month. Phase-II involves construction of bus bays, an underground parking bay for 1,000 cars and bikes besides a multi-storied commercial complex. A total area of 25.16 acre was earmarked for the second phase.
