KOCHI: There is a brilliant proposal that could help boost tourism and also fill up coffers of the authorities. Why not open up some of the ‘deadly’ roads of Kochi for offroading adventure?
Roads are tarred. In some days, even before the sheen wears off, they are dug up again by one agency or the other. This perennial cycle has become meme material now.
Whining over fund shortage and passing the buck are routine responses city residents usually get when they raise the issue about how commuting via certain stretches of Kochi has become a daily adventure.
Well, multiple agencies concerned could collaborate and market this adventure. No investment needed. Revenue from the ‘thrill fee’ could be used to buy fresh tar, perhaps.
Social activist Ranjith Thampy bets on the proposal. He recommends two stretches he frequently uses: Chittoor Road and K P Vallon Road. “People are frustrated with the rigmarole running for years,” he says.
P Rangadasa Prabhu, president of the Ernakulam District Residents’ Association, blames the lack of coordination among agencies. “The district authority should bring together all departments concerned,” he says. “They should decide on a specific period for all road works, so we don’t have to navigate pits throughout the year.”
Centre for Policy Research chairman D Dhanuraj echoes the sentiment. “Various agencies are involved. A nodal agency that includes these entities, along with agencies like KSEB and Water Authorities, could coordinate road works,” he says.
In the meantime, how about a ‘Kochi Off-Road Challenge’?