Tourism Minister A.P. Anilkumar will inaugurate the Edappally-Vyttila Bypass beautification project being undertaken by the Kochi Bypass Beautification Society (KBBS) under the supervision of the Kochi Corporation on Saturday.
Mayor Tony Chammany will preside over the function to be held opposite Ernakulam Medical Centre at 4.30 p.m. Benny Behanan, MLA, will be the chief guest.
Addressing a press conference here on Friday, Mr. Chammany said that the project introduced an innovative development model by making the stakeholders participants in the project. “The Corporation had only a supervisory role while the funds had been mobilised, managed and utilised by the society. This also ensures sustainability of the project,” he said. The Corporation plans to beautify areas in Fort Kochi and Broadway by forming similar societies of stakeholders.
Kochouseph Chittilappilly, chairman, KBBS, said that the society made up of 15 institutions along the stretch, would have to invest Rs. 1 crore for the completion of the project and another Rs. 40 lakh annually for its maintenance. Corporation had spent Rs. 37 lakh towards preparatory works.
So far, 20,000 saplings had been planted on the central median in 4.6 out of the 6 kilometre stretch.
Asked why the Corporation could not develop junctions in the city as done in Thiruvananthapuram, Mr. Chammany said that the capital city could draw on funds under both the Kerala Sustainable Urban Development Project and the capital city development project.
“More importantly, land near junctions in Thiruvananthapuram are owned by the government and hence can be utilised without the hassles of acquisition whereas in Kochi, land along important junctions are in private hands acquiring which would prove too costly,” he said.
E.M. Muhammed, treasurer, KBBS, and T.J. Vinod, chairman of development standing committee, Kochi Corporation, also attended the press meet.
