KOCHI: Brushing aside the opposition’s allegations that ‘Mission Kochi 15-8-15’ project was an election stunt, Mayor Tony Chammany said that those who criticise the programme do not even know the basic concept of the plan.
“I have time and again re-iterated that ‘Mission Kochi’ was not a special project but only a programme mooted for speedy implementation of 32 projects partially or fully within a year. These projects, most of them mooted in the past, were remaining non starters or had been left halfway. Hence the programme was mooted to fast track the projects,” Chammany said.
He said that some of the key projects listed under Mission Kochi have already materialised. For instance, the city beautification project aimed at beautifying NH-47 stretch between Edappally and Vyttila junction, has already been implemented.
“We signed an agreement for building two double-ended Roll-on Roll-off (Ro-Ro) vessels with the Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL). The renovation of both the Town Halls have been completed. We have also initiated steps for setting up an e-waste treatment facility at Brahmapuram with the help of Clean Kerala company. New vehicles were rolled out for waste removal. The Solar City project is also progressing,” the Mayor added.
The Mayor said that while announcing the Mission Kochi programme, he had made it clear that no additional funding had been announced for the projects and those which require huge land acquisition costs have been excluded from the list. “That is the reason why projects like Thammanam-Pulleppady road widening were not included in the Mission projects,” he added.
The project for improvement of water transport network is already progressing. The Kochi Metro Rail Limited is already in talks with German Development bank KfW for the funding requirements of the water transport network development.
Regarding the pre-monsoon repair works of the roads, the Mayor said that a joint inspection will be conducted on May 18 by the officials from Corporation, DMRC, KMRL, PWD, KSEB and KWA to assess the condition of the roads.
Meanwhile, opposition alleged that the road repair works are being carried out by the Kochi Metro Rail Limited.
“All the recent road repair works have been done by KMRL. We do not know how the Mayor can take credit for KMRL’s activities,” said Anilkumar.
The three major issues that the UDF projected during the previous election were mosquito menace, bad state of roads and waste management. But these issues still remain the same. The only thing that has changed is that the mosquito menace has increased considerably over the past few years
M Anilkumar, Kochi Corporation opposition councillor
I have time and again re-iterated that ‘Mission Kochi’ was not a special project but only a programme mooted for speedy implementation of 32 projects partially or fully within a year. These projects, most of them mooted in the past, were remaining non starters or had been left halfway
Tony Chammany, Mayor, Kochi Corporation