The Hindu 12.12.2013
Rs.1,100-crore plan for Kochi to be submitted for Centre’s approval
Government panel clears infrastructure projects of corporation
Urban infrastructure projects of Kochi Corporation worth
Rs.1,100 crore were cleared by the State-Level Steering Committee of
the Kerala government for submission to the Central Sanctioning and
Monitoring Committee of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal
Mission (JNNURM).
The city has sought the Central nod
for a new drinking water project worth Rs. 750 crore for the Kochi
Corporation area and the neighbouring municipalities. The project will
have an installed capacity of 190 Million Litres a Day. An energy
efficient lighting system through which all the sodium vapour lamps in
the city would be replaced with power saving lamps was also cleared by
the steering committee, which was chaired by Chief Minister Oommen
Chandy.
Each year, the Kochi Corporation shells out
nearly Rs. 9 crore as energy charges to the Kerala State Electricity
Board for its public lighting system. The corporation has also obtained
the clearance of the State authorities for a proposal for protection of
water bodies in the city. The total outlay of the project is Rs. 20
crore. These projects were included in the additional agenda of the
Steering Committee which met in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday.
The
proposals will later be submitted to the Central Sanctioning and
Monitoring Committee of the Mission. The committee will be chaired by
the Urban Development Secretary, said a communication issued by Mayor
Tony Chammany.
The meeting also gave the green signal
to transferring some of the ongoing projects of the city to the
transition phase, thereby obtaining three more years for its completion.
Going by the schedule, the mission projects will end in March 2014.
The
Pachalam, Atlantis and Ponnurunni rail overbridge projects will be
modified to be included in the transition phase. These projects will
also get a fresh lease of life if the national panel approves the
changes suggested by the local body.
The local body
had showcased a pedestrian-friendly urban transport system, a surface
water drainage project for East Kochi, the upgradation of surface water
drainage for West Kochi and improvements to inland water transport
system. The other projects for which the Central assistance has been
sought include the renovation of the seven public markets, revamping the
historic trading area and cultural landscape around Broadway and
renewal of inner city core area of Ernakulam and Ernakulam market zone.