The shortage of workers has slowed down the Corporation’s One Kochi One Colour campaign where compound walls of public properties and institutions within the city limits are being painted in oceanic blue.
The project launched earlier this year has been underway at Fort Kochi, but is moving at a slow pace owing to lack of professionals to do the job. After Fort Kochi, the second phase of the project will focus on bridges and overbridges in the city. Both sides of the stretch between Rajendra Maidan and High Court junction will also sport blue shortly.
The campaign is likely to gather momentum by next month coinciding with the start of summer vacation. A meeting of residents’ associations is likely to be convened early next month to draw in their active participation.
The meeting has been scheduled for next month since the Corporation is now busy with the budget preparation and resident’s association members preoccupied with exam season in schools. The target is to complete the project before the onset of monsoon in June.
Meanwhile, the police have volunteered to be part of the campaign by deciding to paint the new office of the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mattancherry, compound walls of the office and the sub jail in blue.
The One Kochi, One Colour campaign was launched as part of the second phase of the Clean Mission Kochi project. Actor Mammootty, the brand ambassador of the project inaugurated the campaign at Njalipparambu in Fort Kochi earlier this year. A paint company came forward to associate with the project by providing 5,000 litres of paint for the pilot phase of the programme.
An initial estimate had put the cost of painting one kilometre length of compound wall at Rs. 3 lakh. The company also agreed to extent financial support to the project.
Various city organisations including Rotary and Lions Clubs, Vice Men’s Club, CREDAI, merchants associations and some carnival committees had offered to join hands with the local body when the campaign was announced. The members of the National Service Scheme of the St. Teresa’s College had offered to paint the compound walls of the college blue as part of the drive.
