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.