THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The corporation, whose functioning had been hit hard due to the pandemic ,is limping back to normal and has decided to fast-track various key infrastructure projects that have been long-pending. The civic body has taken up as many as six multi-level parking projects under Smart City Thiruvananthapuram Ltd (SCTL) and AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation) schemes. The projects are expected to resolve the parking crisis in the capital.
In addition to the multi-level car parking facility on the corporation premises, parking facilities are coming up at Putharikandam Maidan, Thampanoor, Palayam, Medical College Hospital and the public office. A senior official of the city corporation said the piling work at Putharikandam Maidan is over and soon the piling work at MCH would take off.
The project at Putharikandam is expected to cost Rs 12 crore and would be the largest parking facility that can offer parking space to 210 cars and 240 two-wheelers. A senior official of the corporation said the estimates of the projects at Putharikandam and MCH had to be revised. “Fire safety features were not included while preparing the estimate of these projects. It is a mandatory component. Hence we have readied revised estimates. We are now awaiting clearance from the state government,” said the official.
It is learned that funds to the tune of Rs 133 crore are awaited from the Centre to implement various projects taken up under AMRUT.
Works standing committee chairman D R Anil told TNIE that the delay occurred because of the pandemic. “There has been a delay in many infrastructure projects but it was inevitable. It was impossible to mobilise labourers for various projects. We are currently implementing the projects with limited resources and 50 per cent of staff. Despite this, we are planning to complete the projects in this financial year itself,” said D R Anil. He added there is a delay in getting funds from the centre because of the Covid situation.
“The entire system is busy fighting the pandemic and every process is taking time because of this. Offices are functioning with limited staff. We have to bear with the delay,” he added. To cover the cost escalation, the civic body has decided to implement a two-wheeler parking component at Putharikandam Maidan using its own fund.
“If we revise the estimate of the project at Putharikandam it would take more time to get the clearance from the Centre. Hence we have decided to implement the two-wheeler parking facility using our fund,” said D R Anil.
He said the preparatory works of the multi-level parking facility at MCH will take off soon. “The same agency that took up the project at Putharikandam is implementing the project at MCH. They are doing the work with limited labourers. Now we are able to use only five labourers at a time. They will soon begin the piling work at MCH,” said G R Anil.