News Detail

<p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">The road project of the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) linking Panampilly Nagar and Thevara has been cut short by the Kochi corporation, which has sanctioned many multistoried buildings along the alignment of the proposed road.</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">The GCDA had proposed to connect Panampilly Nagar and the Kundanoor-Willington Island road at Thevara linking an underpass near Kasturba Nagar.&nbsp;</span></span></span><span style="color:rgb(105, 105, 105); font-family:arial; font-size:11px; line-height:1.6em">The road was expected to provide a new route for motorists coming from Kadavanthra and Vyttila areas to Kundanoor and west Kochi without entering the busy stretches such as the south railway overbridge (ROB) and MG Road.&nbsp;</span><span style="color:rgb(105, 105, 105); font-family:arial; font-size:11px; line-height:1.6em">The proposed road includes new stretches as well as the widening of an existing road.</span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">Since the GCDA had restarted the work on Chilavanoor Bund Road 25 years after initiating it, the authority was also looking into the possibilities of taking up similar delayed projects. &quot;When we considered the Panampilly Nagar-Thevara road project, we noticed that many multistoried buildings had come up along the alignment. Since it is not possible for the authority to demolish these buildings for constructing the road, we are giving up the project,&quot; said GCDA chairman N Venugopal.</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">According to the development authority, the project was proposed about 30 years ago. The agency had also started land acquisition activities.</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">&quot;But successive governments and the GCDA leadership ignored the project citing various reasons,&quot; added the chairman.</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">Meanwhile, officials with the Kochi corporation said that it was not possible to keep the land unused for a long period of time. The local body blamed GCDA for not taking the project forward despite having funds, forcing the civic body to issue permits to construct buildings.&nbsp;</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:rgb(105, 105, 105); font-family:arial; font-size:11px; line-height:1.6em">According to corporation officials, it is still possible for GCDA to take up the road work.&nbsp;</span><span style="color:rgb(105, 105, 105); font-family:arial; font-size:11px; line-height:1.6em">&quot;The authority will have to acquire 20 cents of land. A bridge will have to be constructed over the Thevara canal to connect Kasturba Nagar and Konthuruthy. It should avail local MLA&#39;s funds for the purpose,&quot; said a corporation official.</span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">Source-On Request</span></span></span></p>