The District Collector’s announcement that the renovation of S.M. Street will be over in a month has come as a relief to traders who are livid over the slow pace of work. With Onam drawing closer, traders are apprehensive about a possible fall in business.
District Collector U.V. Jose, at a meeting on Monday, promised merchants that the work would be completed by August 25. A representative of the Uralungal Labour Contractors’ Cooperative Society, which is carrying out the renovation work, said that the concrete slab work would be completed by the end of July, and that drainage and electrical and plumbing work would be over by mid August. The paving of tiles on the street will be completed by August 25, he added.
Architect R.K. Ramesh presented the model of the shop frontage, which will be made uniform as part of the renovation. He also presented a sketch of the proposed gates at both ends of the street. The renovation of the street has been taken up as part of a heritage project initiated by the Department of Tourism. C.N. Anithakumari, Joint Director, Department of Tourism, and DTPC Secretary Binoy Venugopal were present.
