Kochi: Local residents, along with Kalamassery Municipality councillors, disrupted finishing works at the CUSAT Metro station on Monday. They were protesting against the apathy of the Metro authorities in restoring a compound wall behind the station that had collapsed in rains two weeks back. The protesters also raised opposition against the authorities plan to use a narrow bylane as the entrance passage to the station parking yard. The protest started at 10 am and soon cops rushed to the scenario after both parties lodged complaints against each other with the Kalamassery police.
“The bylane road is just five to six meters wide and they (Metro authorities) plan to use it as the passage way to the station parking yard. It would see a lot of vehicles going and returning, causing difficulty to the local residents. We demanded them to widen the road up to the parking yard using the land owned by the Metro but our demand was rejected,”said local councilor Rukiya Jamal. “Despite our repeated requests, they are yet to restore a damaged compound wall constructed unscientifically. It collapsed during heavy rains two weeks back,” she said.
Metro authorities, on their part, said that they planned to make the entry direct from the highway and only the exit is provided to the bylane. Kalamassery Police soon convened a meeting at 1 pm to resolve the issues. “It was decided not to use the bylane as passage to the parking yard till a consensus is reached on widening the road. Till then a direct entry and exit from the National Highway will be provided. “Also the remains of the collapsed wall will be cleared on Tuesday and a new concrete wall with strong base will be set up in two weeks’ time,” said S Jayakrishnan, Circle Inspector.
