Title - DMRC to construct four bridges

A general council meeting of the Goshree Islands Development Authority (GIDA), chaired by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, on Saturday decided to entrust the construction of four bridges along the four-lane road between Moolamppilly and Chathanadu with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).District Collector P.I. Sheikh Pareed, who is also the secretary of GIDA, told the council that the chief advisor of DMRC had visited the project site last month and had agreed in principle to take up the job. The proposal was passed by the meeting on the condition that eight per cent of the allocation to be made for the project would be given as department level fees to DMRC.S. Sarma, MLA, said that declaring the project as port connectivity will help eliminate technical hurdles in the future. V.D. Satheeshan, MLA, pointed out that work on the project was started on the understanding that those who gave up land for it would be permitted to develop alternative land. Acquiring more land now would prove beneficial to the GIDA in the future, he said.

APPROVAL GIVEN
The meeting gave in-principle approval for the construction of a bridge connecting Korunkotta island with Vaduthala. An amendment is needed for the inclusion of the island in GIDA. Steps in this direction will be initiated. The project needs Rs. 7 crore for which Union Minister of State for Food and Public Distribution K.V. Thomas has already allocated Rs. 2.50 crore from his MP fund while another Rs. 50 lakh has been allocated by Hibi Eden from the MLA fund. Rest of the fund will be mobilized from other agencies, the Collector said.Mr. Chandy said that the unusual delay for the completion of drinking water projects under the GIDA cannot be tolerated. The meeting observed that any further delay in these projects for which advance amount had been deposited with the Water Authority would be improper. Members including MLAs said that problems within the Water Authority are responsible for the delay and asked for the intervention of the Chief Minister.Mr. Chandy said that a meeting would be held to discuss these issues at Thiruvananthapuram on June 13.

WATER TANKER
The GIDA will allot fund for the construction of a water tanker considering the acute water shortage in Mulavukad panchayat. This is in view of the delay in the construction of two proposed water tankers by the Water Authority. The existing tank is 60 years old and is in disuse.Fund to the tune of Rs. 50 lakh allocated for housing project in all panchayats in the GIDA would be diverted for the construction of roads. Diversion will be allowed based on resolutions to that affect passed by panchayats.Mr. Thomas said that the land along the container road should be acquired by the GIDA citing that else it would be encroached up on . He said that the land should be utilised for generating revenue. The meeting decided to allocate Rs. 1.30 crore for the land acquisition for eight parallel bridges in Vypeen after PWD Minister V.K. Ibrahim Kunju cited the delay in the project.Mayor Tony Chammany, district panchayat president Eldhose Kunnappillil, Greater Cochin Development Authority chairman N. Venugopal, and panchayat presidents attended the meeting.