Source : The Hindu Date : 25.06.2009
Two city projects may get the nod
Staff Reporter
| Broadway and Ernakulam Market renewal, sewerage project under consideration |
Detailed project reports submitted to JNNURM
Support sought under heritage component
KOCHI: Broadway and Ernakulam Market urban renewal and a sewerage project for West Kochi will come up before the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission soon.
The detailed project reports (DPR) of these projects were submitted to the mission authorities earlier. The projects are likely to come up for consideration during the first week of July.
West Kochi to benefit
The corporation has submitted a detailed project report for Rs. 30 crore for the Broadway and Ernakulam market renovation programme. It is under the heritage component of the mission that Kochi city is seeking support for its key business and heritage area.
A sewerage project for catering to the demands of West Kochi has also been awaiting the clearance from the mission authorities.
The civic authorities have submitted a project report for Rs.80 crore for the sewerage project.
A redesigning of the Broadway Street has been proposed under the Broadway project. The physical changes proposed are “redoing the ground cover over the re-laid underground cable services and also creating a roof over the public street.”
As the Ernakulam market forms the core of the heritage zone, the civic authorities plan to revitalise the market into a modern facility without “damaging the scale and essential character of the architectural ensemble”.
Waste disposal
A proper strategy for waste handling and management will also be put in place, says the project report.
The renovation of the pond in the area and the waterway to the pond has also been proposed to be taken up.
Plans are also afoot to develop the Market Square as the “public face of the development project.” The authorities plan to implement the project on a private-public participation mode. Once developed, the place will function as a “fully pedestrianised shopping, passive recreation area and vendor rehabilitation zone.”
The sewerage project for West Kochi has been planned in two stages. In the first stage, the establishment of the project would cost Rs. 41 crore and Rs. 33 crore in the second stage.
A sewage treatment plant will come up at Mundamveli and this would cost Rs. 15.5 crore. The plant with 23 million litres per day capacity is expected to address the sewage treatment requirements of the area to a considerable extent.
