The proposed multi level car parking project, aiming to end the traffic chaos on the Railway Station Link Road, will be executed under the newly revived Calicut Development Authority (CDA). Earlier, the city corporation had signed a Built Operate and Transfer (BOT) agreement with a private firm, Yennavees, for carrying out the construction of the project on the 21 cents of land owned by CDA on the Railway Link Road. Henceforth, CDA will execute the proposed project under Public Private Partnership (PPP) model, said CDA chairman N C Aboobacker at a press conference here on Thursday.

Declaring a slew of projects, in his first meeting with the media after assuming office, Aboobacker added that the proposed development of Kallai Road from Palayam to Francis Road Junction will be extended to Meenchanda. The project comprises the complete rehabilitation of the merchants who would be evicted during the road widening process and would carry out the entire project in a single phase, said the CDA chairman. CDA also has plans to give SM Street a facelift. For this, CDA will draft a detailed plan with people’s participation. The plan aims at the reconstruction of the old buildings and the development of roads. It also intends to curb the frequent fire mishaps occurring in the city’s iconic street. “Earlier the Tourism Department had decided to renovate SM Street.

However, there did not consider the reconstruction and maintenance of the old buildings there. Narrow roads and very old buildings were the major issues,” Aboobacker added. In a bid to boost up the rich sports legacy enjoyed by the city in state’s sports arena, the development agency will set up an International Sports Complex at Arayidathupalam. “Talks will be conducted with the State Government to materialise this dream project of CDA along with the cooperation of other agencies such as the Sports Council. A detailed project report will be drafted after the preliminary discussions,” he said. Another major project was for the comprehensive development of Valiyangadi.

In the designated urban reconstruction project for Valiyangadi, the buildings and the existing shops and godowns will be reconstructed and the roads will be widened with a facility for parking heavy vehicles such as goods trucks. CDA also plans to construct new godowns in the land owned by it at Beypore, which was set aside for the developing the Beypore Godown Complex. Along with this, there are plans for the maintenance and renovation works of existing buildings and roads there. Aboobacker added that they would give top priority in the development of all busy junctions in the city.