KOCHI: In two weeks, residents under the Ernakulam assembly constituency will make a beeline for polling stations.
As poll fervour peaks and political parties pull out all stops to ensure a victory, the spotlight shifts to the city, which will have a new MLA soon.
Beyond proving a particular party’s clout and establishing an agenda, Kochi awaits its new representative for many reasons, which includes putting the focus on its many civic issues which often gets lost in political dramas.
While major stakeholders in the city expect timely intervention on many issues, including waste management and transportation, residents think the new MLA should ideally focus on ensuring better coordination among civic bodies.
People from many walks of life discuss what they expect from the new MLA.
‘Show the right attitude’
The productivity of any activity we undertake in Kochi gets reduced by 90 per cent due to the bad roads in Kochi.
For an entrepreneur, whose every second counts, this means a major setback.
An MLA should first ensure that the roads are repaired and the negligent attitude shown by the authorities concerned are tackled.
A right person, with a progressive mind, can do wonders in Kochi which has an educated bunch as its residents.
— Lakshmi Menon, social entrepreneur
‘Execute projects in time-bound manner’
Though there are many projects, nothing is executed in a time-bound manner. Though the Cochin Smart Mission Limited is an ambitious project, there is little progress in that direction with most projects stuck in the tendering stage.
We hope the next MLA does his best to put things on track. The timely intervention of an MLA can also do a lot in ensuring coordination of funds allocated for the scheme.
The same applies to basic facilities like roads. If timely works are carried out, issues like bad roads and waterlogging will cease to be a worry.
Also needed is an IAS-cadre officer who can coordinate with civic bodies in many pressing issues and an MLA can do a lot. — P Rangadasa Prabhu, president, Ernakulam Dist Residents Association Apex Council
‘Give KMTA a much-needed push’
An MLA should primarily address his role, which is lawmaking. And, Ernakulam Constituency’s next MLA should ensure the passing of the Kerala Metropolitan Transport Authority (KMTA) Bill, which would bring a revolutionary change in a city like Kochi which has triple the average traffic density of the country.
Sadly, in a city like ours where 80 per cent of the people depend on public transport, we lack adequate road and water transport systems.
And, KMTA Bill can revolutionise transportation which gives people easy access to opportunities. He should also cooperate with other representatives in ensuring uninterrupted services, which include water and other basic provisions.
The MLA should also do his bit to expedite work on Vathuruthy Rail Overbridge which can solve the transport woes of West Kochi — K J Sohan, Former Mayor