The prestigious Kochi metro, which received the centre’s nod last week
after a near decade-long struggle, does not figure in the master plans
of either the corporation or the Greater Cochin Development Authority
(GCDA), which has been moving heaven and earth for a berth on the
director board of the Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL).

Even as the state is getting ready to begin the construction work, the
corporation and the GCDA have maintained that they were clueless about
developments associated with the project.

Surprisingly, even a
project such as the second phase of Marine Drive development, which has
not even received the all important environmental clearance, figures in
GCDA’s Vision 2030 plan!

The Kochi corporation, meanwhile, has
claimed that they have not received metro’s alignment and consequently
has failed to include the same in their master plan. According to Kochi
mayor Tony Chammany, the corporation does not have a clear picture
regarding the alignment of Kochi metro. “Apart from holding discussions
related to the construction of the North Railway Overbridge, and the
agreement to provide nine cents of land near Town Hall, no major talks
have been held between Kochi corporation and metro authorities. The
corporation is yet to get the final alignment of the metro project,” he said.

The corporation said they required the final alignment, including
details of land required for stations and parking lots, and associated
buildings. Town planning committee chairman K J Sohan pointed out the
civic body required data regarding consumption of electricity, water and
disposal of waste and debris. These details are required while
including the project in the master plan for the city.

With
many water, power and civic projects in various stages of planning and
execution, the metro maze may turn out to be huge headache for the civic
body, which also has the responsibility of clarifying doubts on the
impact of construction activities. “It’s equally important to know how
vehicles, especially fire engines and ambulances, will travel through
the city when the actual work begins. We have to bring in various
government departments and agencies and work out a strategy. But this
may take time,” he added.

Though the corporation, nine
neighbouring municipalities and 21 panchayats fall under the GCDA, the
authority has not received updates about changes to metro’s alignment.
“The metro passes through regions which are under the GCDA. It is
currently being executed as an isolated project. We have not included it
in the Vision 2030 project,” said GCDA chairman N Venugopal, adding
that the plan includes the suburban railway scheme.