Adequate parking space must be ensured in all metro stations so that commuters in cars and two-wheelers can switch over to the metro, MLAs participating in a meeting convened by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to review progress of works on metro rail and water metro have demanded.
Responding to this, Kochi Metro Rail Limited managing director Elias George assured construction of multi-level parking lots in six metro stations on the Aluva-Maharaja’s Ground corridor.
Mayor Soumini Jain demanded that the Public Works Department (PWD) widen M.G. Road-Pullepady-Thammanam-Chakkaraparambu Road stretch in a time-bound manner since it is key to de-congesting S.A. Road and Banerjee Road.
Flyovers
P.T. Thomas, MLA, demanded that the PWD begin work on flyovers at Vyttila and Kundannoor on an urgent basis since the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) was unwilling to build them. He sought speedy measures to widen the Seaport-Airport Road to four-lane and to augment safety measures along the road.
Hibi Eden, MLA, demanded prompt completion of the walkway project that the KMRL mooted on M.G. Road.
Parking problems in Aluva and Kalamassery must be overcome, demanded MLAs Anwar Sadath and V.K. Ebrahim Kunju. Mr. Sadath sought development of roads in Aluva and demanded better connectivity with the railway station.
The MLAs also demanded more boat jetties in islands that dot the Kochi backwaters so that more people benefit from the 58 modern ferries the KMRL plans to introduce by 2019.
S. Sarma sought the inclusion of Thantonnithuruth and Kurunthotta islands in the water metro project while K.J. Maxi demanded the inclusion of more jetties at Chellanam and Palluruthy in the venture. John Fernandes suggested widening the scope of the project to islands in the northern parts of Alappuzha to boost tourism.
