The New Indian Express 20.10.2010
‘Build flyovers for better connectivity’
KOCHI: The city needs a couple of flyovers to tackle traffic congestion, said Justice K P Radhakrishna Menon. “Road widening is not feasible as it is difficult to acquire land. There has to be well-planned flyovers connecting the city. The first flyover should start from Palarivattom to the High Court and the second from the High Court to the South and the third from South to North junction. The flyovers should have five or six lanes. Once they are completed the travel woes in Kochi will be solved,” he said. As part of the city development, three canals can be connected. “Six or seven kilometers of canals can be given on lease to five star hotels on certain conditions,” said Radhakrishna Menon.Another important suggestion is that the mayor should be elected by the people instead of being elected by the political parties. The person at the helm should be given the authority to take decisions and that person should not be corrupt. We need sincere and hard working people to take us forward,” he said.
He also said that the first phase of development should start by declustering the city. “The only possible option is to develop the suburbs on the lines of other metros like Mumbai,” said Radhakrishna Menon.
He said there should be an authority exclusively responsible for waste management and an agency like Kudumbasree to see to it that the system works properly. “The authorities should provide them with all the infrastructure facilities.” Another major problem is the mushrooming of flats all over the city. “Indiscriminate license is being given for flat construction and this has to be stopped. The city has no space or resources to accommodate so many apartments,” he said.
Radhakrishna Menon is of the opinion that it is high time we thought of well-planned development projects. “If we continue in the same manner there will be no progress,” he said.
