KOCHI: The Governing Council of Maharaja's College has denied KMRL's request to provide land and has decided to oppose any move aimed at taking over any more land of the college. Chairman of the governing council P K Raveendran told reporters the body had refused to provide the 2.5 acres of the college land requested by KMRL for using it as parking space. “KMRL might approach the government for this. We will resist any move aimed at procuring the college ground.
But in the end, the government has to take a decision as Maharaja's is a government-run college,” Raveendran said. He said KMRL has sought a portion of the college's hockey ground for the Metro project. “The property sought by KMRL is worth several crores of rupees at present. The college land will be taken for free, but it will benefit none,” he said.
C I C C Jayachandran, an alumnus, said the land was also home to trees which were more than 100-year-old. “The trees would be felled for constructing the parking space. The green cover at Maharaja's is the lone major greenery inside city limits in the region. We will approach the government against providing the land for Metro project,” Jayachandran said.