Mega hopes at Vilappilsala mini township

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is expected to launch Rs 400-crore Vilappilsala project by the end of this month
Mega hopes at Vilappilsala mini township

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Twelve years after the closure, the city’s main waste treatment plant -Vilappilsala is all set to witness a flurry of activities. The Phase-I work of the proposed mini township set to begin by January end. According to the corporation, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will launch the Rs 400-crore township. The project, an official says, will be implemented in phases, as several sub-projects are included.

Currently, works on ground-clearing, compound walls, and internal roads are progressing. Corporation officials say the entire project would be completed in five years.“The preliminary work has begun, and the works that have been tendered will begin by the end of this month,” says Corporation secretary Binu Francis.

“As this is a massive project, each module in the township will be tendered separately. The basic infrastructure work is the priority now, and it is in progress. Landscaping, planting of urban forests, and green fencing will also be done quickly. In due course, all the work will be tendered and completed on time.”

Earlier, the corporation had invited the expression of interest (EOI) from structural consulting firms or independent consultants to design the first phase of the township project. Four companies came forward, and one of them was selected as a consultant for the project.After some rounds of discussions, the corporation approved the proposed design.

The 36-acre township will have five towers, 11 multi-storey residential apartments to accommodate 500 people as part of the LIFE Mission, a convention centre with rest houses, a residential training centre, a warehouse, a vehicle yard, a stray dog rehab centre, a cattle shed and a pond.  The township would also have an indoor games avenue and residential facilities for a technological university.

An urban forest with fruit-bearing trees and medicinal herbs has also been planned. The corporation also plans to rent out the convention centre for weddings. Guests would be provided with accommodation as well as special spaces for photoshoots.

The residential facility for LIFE Mission beneficiaries will be built in a location so that the residents will have privacy, adds Binu. Notably, in 2017, an amusement park was proposed in Vilappilsala. However, the corporation dropped the plan later.

The mini township is expected to revitalise Vilappilsala, which was once in the news for all the wrong reasons. As per plan, a training centre with residential facilities to be rented out to institutions will also be constructed.

Guest houses and lodging facilities, too, will be set up. Single-bedroom flats for the elderly, with common dining areas and recreational facilities, are also being envisaged. Rainwater harvesting facilities and solar panels will also be arranged.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com