KOCHI:The high-level review meeting of the Kochi Metro Rail project held here on Monday instructed the local bodies along the Metro Rail corridor to complete the pre-monsoon cleaning soon.
The Metro Rail alignment passes through areas under Aluva and Kalamassery municipalities, Kochi Corporation and Choornkikkara panchayat.
After convening the meeting here, Minister for Power Aryadan Mohammed said that, last year, cleaning works along the Metro corridor were started late.
“This had resulted in water-logging in many areas, which caused difficulties to the commuters as well as the workers. This year, the civic administrators of these local bodies were asked to complete the work within the end of this month. Along with that, a list of roads along the Metro rail corridor was also prepared. The pre-monsoon renovation works of these roads will be completed on a war footing,” said the minister.
Aryadan also said that the shortage of workers at the construction sites of Kochi metro Rail was also resolved. Expressing confidence that the project will be completed within the stipulated deadline, he said that as per the instruction of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), the contractor agency Larsen and Toubro (L&T) has increased the number of workers to 4200 from 3000.
“The total number of workers required is 4,500. Three hundred more labourers will be hired soon. There is no need for any sort of apprehension and the project would be completed as per the schedule.
“ Despite the slowdown, Metro Rail will be a role model for the infrastructure projects in the state,” he said.
The Kerala Water Authority has been asked to resolve issues in pipelines and complete the utility shifting along the Metro stretch.