Despite strong resistance from LDF councillors, the Corporation
Council approved the realignment of Pachalam Railway Over Bridge (ROB)
as suggested by DMRC and gave the project in-principle approval. The
Corporation approved the agenda item related to this after it was put
for vote in the corporation council on Monday.

The decision came
after more than three hours of gruelling discussions about the new
design of ROB. The DMRC had proposed a redesign for the long-pending
Pachalam ROB project,

limiting the bridge width to 10 meters
instead of the 40 meters as in the earlier JNNURM proposal. The related
land acquisition costs, claimed the ruling council of the corporation,
would come down to `30 crore with this re-design from the earlier
estimated `300 crore. According to the corporation, the state government
would bear 50 per cent cost of the project and the remaining would be
funded by the Railways.

Opposition leader of the house K J Jacob
started the debate following which the opposition members vehemently
opposed the re-design. Jacob said that by giving approval for a 10 meter
bridge, replacing the original 40 meter width of the ROB project, the
corporation is trying to jeopardize future development of the
Mamangalam-Vaduthala region. “This is being done eying the upcoming Lok
Sabha election,” said Jacob. Spearheading the attack against the ruling
council, Opposition councillor M Anilkumar said that the there is no
ground to the ruling council’s claim of non-availability of funds for a
40 meter bridge. “Funds can be garnered if it’s implemented in the DTP
scheme and using GIDA funds and asking the state government for the
remaining funds,” said AnilKumar.

However, development committee
chairman T J Vinod Kumar and Town Planning Committee Chairman K J Sohan
countered this view. “For the 40 meter bridge to be implemented under
the JNNURM scheme, the centre would spent only `2.24 crore but the
Corporation would have to spend around `300 crore. The DTP scheme of
work is not practical as the land will have to be forcefully taken away
from people,” said Vinod Kumar.

K J Sohan said that other longer
bridges can be constructed in the region in future and that the proposed
bridge will not be a hinder to that. Anilkumar opposed this view and
said that if the redesign is approved, it will become impossible for the
civic body to materialise its original development plan for the region
because of the alignment of the road.

He added that chances are
low for the redesign to get approval from railways and alleged that the
council has tampered with files related to the original project.