Title - Monorail construction to start by January 2014

KOZHIKODE:The construction work of Kozhikode Monorail will commence in January 2014, said publilc works minister V K EbrahimKunju here on Saturday.

Tender work for the project will be completed by the end of 2013, he said.

Earlier, the office for the monorail project was opened at Civil Station, by minister for industries P K Kunhalikkutty. The office was inaugurated amidst protest from the Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi (KVVES) who took out a march from Eranjipalam to Civil Station.

Speaking on the protest raised by KVVES, minister Ebrahim Kunju said no trader would be affected during the first phase implementation of the project between Medical College and Mananchira.

The grievances of merchants would be addressed before commencement of the second phase work, he assured.

In the first phase of the project, the monorail will have stops at Medical College Hostel, MCH, Chevayoor, Thondayad, Kottooli, Moffusil Bus Stand, KSRTC and Mananchira. The second phase of the project will cover, Palayam, railway station, Pushpa Junction, Kallayi, Panniyankara, Vattakkinar and Meenchanda.

Minister M K Muneer, M K Raghavan MP, district collector C A Latha, monorail corporation managing director P C Harikesh, chief general manager S Madhavan Pillai, Kozhikode project manager Anand Ilaman and others were present.