The furore over the International Multimedia Laser Show Project of the GCDA is heading for a stormy climax as the Corporation is a step closer in imposing a shut down of the much-touted project at Rajendra Maidan by next month.
On Friday, the Corporation began its proceedings to shelve the GCDA project, with a meeting of the Corporation’s Town Planning Committee deciding- after a day long deliberation and fierce debates- to reject the request of the development authority to set up a laser show facility at Rajendra Maidan.
The Corporation has already slapped a notice on the GCDA to stop the ongoing construction works related to the project.
“Earlier, the committee had asked the GCDA to submit the ownership papers of the Maidan.
“ For seven days, they did not reply. But the GCDA secretary submitted an affidavit. It said, though, GCDA has been maintaining the Maidan since its inception, it do not have any documents to prove its ownership over the land.
Therefore, the committee revoked certain sections in the Municipal Act to reject the request letter of the GCDA to set up a laser show facility at the Maidan,” said hi-level sources in the Corporation.
The committee inspected the project site and found that the GCDA has not left 4.5 m on the west side of the site as cited in the papers.
The committee debated for a whole day before arriving at a decision to dump the GCDA’s request, with a dissent note of one of its members, K R Premkumar.
The decision will now go the Corporation’s council meeting which is expected to be held next month.
If the planning committee decision is passed by the council, the GCDA would have to approach the court for a stay order or have to urge for a government intervention.
The GCDA is expected to bargain for more time to come back with more evidence to make its case appear stronger.
Though, the dream to see some dancing lasers may turn sour, the decision would dazzle the heat on some bitter political wars in the city, especially that between the two Congress leaders from two faction, CDA chairman N Venugopal and Kochi Mayor Tony Chammany.
It will also be difficult to host programmes in the Maidan until the imbroglio over the Maidan resolved.