Kochi: The route has finally been cleared for realization of the MG Road -Infopark road project, which will provide the shortest route from the Kochi city to eastern parts of the district. Finance Minister Thomas Isaac on Monday promised to include the project under KIIFB (Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board) funding and allocate immediate funds. The project includes widening of Thammanam-Pullepaddy stretch that has been hanging fire for the past several decades. He made the assurance dramatically at a function here to launch construction activities of the Vytilla flyover. Kochi mayor Soumini Jain first took up the issue of the corporation facing a severe fund shortage to implement the project while speaking at the function.
However, as soon as she rued that there was not even funds for land acquisition, the Finance Minister immediately came to the dais and promised the funding while interrupting her. "If the Kochi Corporation surrenders the road project to the Public Works Department, we're ready to implement it by availing funds from KIIFB," Mr Issac said as mayor Soumini nodded in agreement. According to the mayor, the main challenge of the project is with regard to the widening of the 2.8 km Tammanam-Pullepaddy stretch. "The section will improve the east west connectivity and is the key alternate route for diverting traffic from the MG Road," she said.
The estimated cost for widening the road to 22 metres alone is nearly Rs 263 crore including the cost of acquiring 4.01 hectares. The previous civic administration had requested the state government to take over the road development, which currently has a width of seven to 10 metres. The MG Road-Infopark road project is being implemented in two phases. While the PWD is entrusted with construction of a 4.06 km four-lane highway connecting NH 47 (Chakkaraparambu) to Infopark, the city corporation will implement the first phase - from MG Road to Chakkaraparambu.
