KOCHI: Worried that the unorganised functioning of smallscale traders at Paramara Road is a dent on Kochi’s developmental tag, the Corporation is planning to speed up procedures to shift them back to under the North railway overbridge.
The traders who were functioning under the bridge till 2011 were shifted to Paramara Road by the Corporation after the old RoB was dismantled.
Though authorities promised to rehabilitate them once the work of the new bridge was completed, it did not materialise owing to objections from many sides.
According to Gracy Jacob, councillor North division, the Corporation had initially decided to rehabilitate the traders under the Pulleppady RoB. However, due to lack of enthusiasm by local representatives and protests from various shopkeepers in the area against accommodating the traders, the Corporation was forced to drop the project. Lack of focus and constant transfer of officials also put the project in a standstill.
Shiny Mathew, Corporation Town Planning Committee chairperson, said they are speeding up the files.
“The proposal has been pending for over seven years. Recently, the issue was brought to notice by councillor Gracy Jacob. We plan to build small shops for the vendors because currently, they are functioning as an unorganised group at Paramara road. This is a black mark in the city, especially at a time when Kochi is moving forward with several developments. We hope to rehabilitate them this year itself,” Shiny Mathew said.
Meanwhile, the Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi said the traders have not been provided with electricity or water connection since the vendors are functioning in the make-shift tents set up at Paramara road.
“The protests have stopped because the vendors have gotten used to life at this side of the road and business is quite good for them too. But, they are being denied basic facilities. If they are shifted back under the North RoB, the traders believe their business will get better,” members of the Samithi said.
The Corporation officials further stated that only licensed traders will be shifted back to the North RoB.
“We will only rehabilitate the ten traders who had proper licenses when they were functioning under the North RoB,” Shiny Mathew said.
Project in a standstill