The CPM district committee will stage a march to the Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) office here on Tuesday demanding the timely completion of ongoing Metro rail work and to find a solution to the acute traffic congestion in the city on account of the construction work.
In a press release issued here, the CPM district committee stated that the march will be held at 10 am. The DMRC has experience of carrying out such work and has managed to complete such project in time at other places, but in Kerala, the corporation has been unable to move forward with the work since the land acquisition process is far from over.
According to the CPM, the previous LDF government had granted a sum of `158 crore for projects like the North RoB, A L Jacob Flyover, widening of Banerjee Road, MG Road and Railway Station Road.
All these works were completed in time, but the ones started after that by the next government have been unable to meet deadlines, the party said.
The construction of the Thammanam-Pulleppadi Road has not yet started even after the funds have been earmarked for land acquisition at the site, the party alleged. The people in the city are suffering daily on account of the lethargic attitude of the government and traffic snarls have become an everyday affair, it said.
The authorities have failed to acquire necessary land for the widening works of the Vyttila-Petta Road. The government should also start the work for the development of South Railway Station road and the Palarivattom-Kaloor Road, the party has demanded.
Congress-led governments are in power both at the Centre and the state, and the Kochi Corporation is also being under the control of the party. Yet the development works have been stalled for long, pushing several shops and business establishments out of business due to the never-ending construction activities in the city. The party demanded provision of tax concession to traders and rehabilitation of those who were evacuated due to the land acquisition or the development projects.