The Hindu                15.06.2013

Kochi to seek more funds for flyovers, water supply projects

City administrators are planning to seek additional funds from the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) for flyovers, water supply and drainage projects.

The Corporation Council, which met here on Friday, approved a resolution moved by Kochi Mayor Tony Chammany in this regard. The Council’s clearance is required for the civic body to move ahead with its projects.

Briefing corporation councillors at the meeting, Mr. Chammany said the Central government had announced its intention to provide more funds for local bodies which could submit Detailed Project Reports (DPR) of their projects before July.

Sudhir Krishna, Secretary of Ministry of Urban Development, had also hinted at the funding possibilities at a function organised in connection with the Kochi metro rail project, Mr. Chammany said.

City corporation will forward the proposals of the State government to build flyovers at Kundannoor, Kalamassery, Vyttila and Palarivattom. It will be on the understanding that the State government will bear the cost of land acquisition, tender excess and the share of the urban local body that the projects will be forwarded. The support of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will also be sought. The role of the civic body will be that of a facilitator as JNNURM projects are sanctioned to local bodies, Mr. Chammany said.

The Ring Road proposed by the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) from Marine Drive to Varapuzha at a length of 10.5 km will be submitted under the transport sector. The cost for acquiring land for the project will be jointly met by the civic body, the GCDA and the State government.

A new water supply project for providing additional volume of drinking water to the city is also in the wish list of the city administrators. The civic authorities plan to join hands with the Kerala Water Authority for the project. The KWA is the implementing agency for the Muvattupuzha drinking water project for which the Kochi Corporation had obtained funds from the JNNURM earlier.

The State Irrigation Department will be roped in for a project for improving the water quality of major canals and water bodies in the city. A drainage project for eastern Kochi and an integrated drainage scheme for West Kochi, a water transport project meant to act as a supporting infrastructure project for the Kochi metro rail and a few heritage conservation projects at West Kochi will also be forwarded. A few projects including the Broadway heritage conservation will be resubmitted for additional funds.

The civic body may have to rely on the DPRs prepared by agencies such as the NHAI for its flyovers. Going by the funding pattern of the Mission projects, the Centre will provide 50 per cent of the project cost.

The Times of India             14.06.2013

BMC to demolish remaining portion of building tomorrow

MUMBAI: Residents of Mahim's Altaf Mansion, a portion of which collapsed on Monday night, will have to pay the BMC to demolish the remaining structure. Ten people had died in the crash.

The civic body plans to demolish the remaining portion of Altaf Mansion on Saturday. The estimated cost of the demolition is Rs12.5 lakh.

On Thursday, the BMC filed a complaint with the Mahim police. "We issued a letter to the Mahim police, asking them to carry out a simple investigation without levelling any charges. The police, too, have to take suo motu cognizance of the 10 deaths and it is up to them to file an FIR for criminal negligence," said additional municipal commissioner Mohan Adtani.

Structural consultant Shashank Mehendale will collect material from the site and send it to a laboratory for a chemical analysis. "The probable cause of the demolition is poor quality material used in the building," said Mehendale who will submit his initial report on the cause of the crash in three days.

"The laboratory report will be submitted in 10-15 days. I have asked officials to issue notices to the residents, the developer and the owner informing them that we will be collecting samples for our investigation," said Adtani. "Mehendale has informed us that prima facie, poor quality of cement and stainless steel used in the construction of the building caused the collapse. If it is proved that the cement and the stainless steel were of poor quality, then the BMC will file an FIR against developer and owner Aziz Bekal, RCC consultant NM Kanajwala and architect VP Parikh and Associates."

The BMC reiterated its stand that it had received no complaint from Altaf Mansion residents about illegal alterations. "We had received complaints from the residents but none pertained to illegal alterations. The first official complaint made by the building was on November 23, 2010, about a sewerage choke-up. On March 13, advocate Rizwan Merchant, who resided on the second-floor, complained about an increase in mosquito numbers due to an illegal shed at the rear of the building. The BMC had taken appropriate action on the two complaints."

The residents of Altaf Mansion have moved in with their relatives in Shivaji Park, Bandra and Jogeshwari. On Thursday, a prayer service was organized at Memon Hall near Mahim dargah in remembrance of the dead.

The estimated cost of the demolition is Rs12.5 lakh

Structural consultant Shashank Mehendale will collect material from the site and send it to a laboratory for testing

The probable cause of the demolition is poor quality material used in the building, said Mehendale

He will submit his initial report on the cause of the collapse in three days

The laboratory will submit its report in 10-15 days