KOCHI: It was in 2006 that the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) mooted a 64-km Outer Ring Road to decongest the entire Kochi city.
The much-needed road corridor through the city’s immediate suburbs still remains a non-starter even after 16 years and people are pinning their hopes on the upcoming council meeting of GCDA. As per the proposal, the 64-km Ring Road starts from Queen’s Walkway near Goshree Bridge in the city. It passes through Vaduthala, Chittoor, Chennur, Thundathumkadavu, Varapuzha, Alangad, Nedumbassery, Puthencruz, Chottanikkara, Mulanthuruthy, Udayamperoor and ends at NH bypass south of Kundannoor. The road will also connect Container Road, NH66, NH47 and NH49.
The first phase of the 9.5-km road from Queen’s Walkway to SN Junction on NH66 in Varapuzha will connect the isolated islands in the northern parts of the Kochi city. The five kilometre of the first phase passes through areas under the GCDA’s jurisdiction and the rest 4.5km, beyond Chittoor, passes through the areas under the Goshree Islands Development Authority (GCDA).
As per the request of GCDA in 2006, a detailed project report (DPR) was prepared by Kitco Ltd for the first phase of the project and it was sent to Kerala Coastal Zone Management Authority (KCZMA) for environmental clearance with amendments requested by the Centre for Earth Science Studies (CESS). But the authority returned the DPR saying that it would not allow it to fill coastal area land to construct the road. Then, the alignment of the project was revised and GCDA managed to get the final approval from the government. But the project was shelved after the government decided to give land documents to 167 families residing in a land in Vaduthala through which the proposed road passes. It is to be noted that GCDA has already spent around Rs 6 lakh on Kitco’s studies and reports.
Executive committee member of Social Welfare Action Alliance Society (SWAAS), Santhosh Jacob said that the authorities should realize the importance of a road which can easily decongest the entire city and connect major suburban towns of the district.
He also suggested that the ecological impact of the project could be reduced by using the debris and sand that accumulated in Vaduthala backwaters to build the new road.
The first phase of the road will also help patients to access major hospitals such as Aster Medcity and Lourdes Hospital, Santhosh added.
Chairman of GCDA K Chadran Pillai, who assumed charge of office recently, said that the authority has not dropped the project and further decisions would be taken after a detailed discussion with experts.
