The Hindu              11.12.2013 

D-Day for key infrastructure projects of city corporation

Four major urban infrastructure projects of Kochi
Corporation, to be implemented under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban
Renewal Mission (JNNURM), will come up for scrutiny on Wednesday.

The
State-level Steering Committee of the Mission will evaluate the three
new urban infrastructure projects namely the public market upgradation
programme (Rs.32.68 crore), pedestrian-friendly urban transport scheme
(Rs.55 crore) and renewal of inner core area of Ernakulam market (Rs.15
crore). Two projects for alleviating the flooding in central city (Rs.40
crore) and West Kochi (Rs.60 crore) areas too would be presented before
the panel. These projects are being proposed to be implemented under
the transition phase of the Mission.

The projects
would be submitted for funding after obtaining the clearance of the
State Committee. Once approved, the local body would get three years for
implementing the centrally-supported projects, said Tony Chammany,
Kochi Mayor.

The Mayor would attend the Steering Committee meeting to be held in Thiruvananthapuram.

The
ongoing schemes, which may not be over within the March 2014 deadline
of the Mission, too would be transferred to the transition stage. This
would give a leeway of three years for the city to implement them, Mr.
Chammany said.

The earlier-sanctioned Ernakulam
Market renovation and Broadway heritage project was bifurcated and
repackaged and showcased as two different projects.

‘Drop projects’

Meanwhile,
the local body has been asked to drop some of the earlier announced
projects including the Sewerage Scheme for the Central Area for want of
time and resources. The Steering Committee is of the view that the local
body should consider the project for the next phase of the Mission
projects.

Under the public market renovation project,
the aged structures of seven markets in Kochi would be reconstructed.
The projects include the renovation of the existing fish and mutton
market building and construction of auction hall, toilet block and an
effluent treatment plant at Champakkara Market, construction of market
building for vending fish, beef and mutton at Pachalam Market.

Similar projects will be implemented at Thoppumpady, Polakandam, Amaravathi, Koovappadam and Pattalam markets.

The
local body pitched for these projects as it did not involve any
dislocation of people and property and hence no rehabilitation and
resettlement components were involved.

The civic
authorities are toying with the idea of preparing a detailed project
report for the proposal for improving the inland water ways system of
Kochi. Efforts are on to make funds available for the project during the
transition phase itself, according to civic authorities.