Now the project seems to be back on track with a group of private firms coming forward to sponsor the survey work for a town planning scheme in this regard.

The Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India (CREDAI), Kerala Management Association (KMA), Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), Builders Association of India (BAI) and Kerala Builders Association (KBA) will jointly bear the cost of the survey. The office bearers of these organisations approached various authorities like the District Collector, Kochi Corporation and Kerala Roads and Bridges Development Corporation of India (RBDCK) and informed them that they are ready to bear the cost of the survey and the authorities gave their nod.

“The interest shown by these institutions will be helpful in implementing the project,” said Deputy Mayor C K Manisankar.

According to the proposal, a 22-metre wide road will be constructed between Bypass on Thammanam and Pullepady Junction.

To ease land acquisition procedures the proposed town planning scheme envisages a new model. The transfer of development rights will be given to those who will have to surrender their land. If a person has to surrender a portion of his or her land for the project, he or she will get relaxations in floor area ratio. This will enable land owners to construct more storeyes and thus increase the value of the land. This formula was successfully implemented during the widening of Sahodaran Ayyappan Road.

In the case of those with two or three cents of land, they will be rehabilitated if they surrender them for the project. The government land or land in the possession of the Kochi Corporation can be used for the purpose.

Almost two third of the survey work for the alignment of the proposed approach roads has been completed. “A government agency would have taken at least a year to complete the survey work. But the agency we deployed could complete two third of the survey work in 30 days,’’ said Jayathilakan, president, Kerala Management Association.

The survey is expected to be completed by the end of January.

The work of the Pullepady Railway overbridge will be completed in a few months.

Once the construction of approach roads is over it will ease traffic congestion on arterial roads in the city like Banerji Road and Sahodaran Ayyappan Road.