EKOCHI: MP Hibi Eden opened the railway underpass at Edappally to the public on Sunday. The underpass was opened for two, three and four-wheelers. The railway gate in the area was closed with the completion of the Edappally bridge in 2012. The underpass was a long-awaited project for people as they had to travel an additional three-four kilometres to reach a nearby place.
“The project faced many obstacles in its initial phase. The continuous follow-ups from MLA P T Thomas, residential association of the area, ward councillors and most importantly, then MP and former minister K V Thomas who deposited Rs 1 crore to the Indian Railways from the MP’s fund to initiate the project, led to its completion,” said Hibi Eden.
In 2017-18 fiscal, then MLA Hibi Eden and Thrikkakara MLA P T Thomas, sanctioned Rs 1.18 crore and Rs 1.25 crore, respectively, from their asset development funds. “The area has severe water logging issue and it gets flooded with a single rainfall. The families residing near the underpass have been severely affected by this,” said ward councillor Deepa Varma. The MP also assured to address the issue.
Kochi Mayor M Anilkumar, former MP K V Thomas, councillors Ambika Sudarshan and Pius Joseph, Railway deputy chief engineer Sudhakar and assistant executive engineer Babu Zacharias were present.