Kochi: The councilors of Kalamassery Municipality on Monday threatened to disrupt metro construction activities charging that the authorities failed to restore drainages and footpaths as promised earlier despite repeated demands. “The drainage along the national highway is filled with concrete wastes and earth. It results in water-logging at many places when it rains. Also they have removed signals and footpaths and failed to restore the same. Hence the council decided to protest till the metro authorities carryout the repair and restoration of public utilities,” said Jessy Peter, chairperson.
She pointed out the two agencies – NHAI (National Highway Authority of India) and the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), are shifting the onus of the works on each other and the “people are left to suffer”. A decision was taken in the council to disrupt the metro station construction, however, the protest was deferred after the DMRC and the KMRL (Kochi Metro Rail Ltd) authorities promised to carry out the works.
“Initially it was decided that all the 41 councillors would stage a sit-in before the metro station. However, the metro authorities contacted us and assured to carryout the works without any delay. The cops too asked us to hold talks,” she said. A meeting has been scheduled to be held at the municipality building at 11.30 am on Tuesday to be attended by concerned officials of the DMRC and the KMRL and all the councillors. “They have to give us a time period to carryout the works. It includes repair of the road to the metro yard, restoration of drainage, streetlights and footpaths. We’ll be forced to protest if they fail to carryout the works within the stipulated time,” Jessy Peter said.
