From work on the arterial Bazaar Road in Mattancherry that has dragged on into the new year, to the dirty Fort Kochi beach and poor response of the authorities to the demand for a rail overbridge at Vathuruthy, there are several reasons that the traders in West Kochi are a worried lot.
The condition of the Bazaar Road is so poor that “we are facing a short supply of commodities as lorries refuse to come,” says A.P. Johny, president of Grain Merchants’ Association. The work was initially slated to be completed in November last year. However, it has dragged on, causing hardship to both residents as well as traders on the historic street, says Madhusudan Gupta, president of the Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Mr. Johny says since work on the road has dragged on, it has created an unhealthy environment, with the heat and dust making things worse for the traders. Traffic congestion on the road is severe. The delay in work on the storm water drainage has made it difficult for merchants to move goods to and from the bazaar, says Mr. Gupta.
Corporation councillor Shiny Mathew , says the Bazaar Road works are being carried out under the Kochi Smart City project. The civic body is only carrying out work on the storm water drainage. Work on the completion of the road is expected to begin by March-end, she says.
However, the traders say there is no coordination between the agencies, which has delayed the works and affected the heritage of the city.
Connectivity issues
The poor state of the Fort Kochi-Ernakulam boat service is also worrying traders. The number of trips have been cut down or cancelled, creating difficulties for daily commuters, says Mr. Gupta. The Chamber has requested the Inland Waterways Department to schedule the services in a way that helped people, he said.
The ro-ro service was launched with great enthusiasm. However, it needs to be streamlined to meet the requirements of burgeoning traffic, says Mr. Gupta. There are two vessels operating but one of them starts service only at 3 p.m. The services of both the vessels should meet rush hour requirements and should be extended to 10 p.m., he adds.
Beach beautification and waste management in Fort Kochi have been the other concerns raised by businesses in West Kochi. With the region dependent on tourism, it is a must that cleanliness is given utmost priority. However, Mr. Gupta alleges that there aren’t enough waste bins in the area, forcing visitors to throw rubbish all around.
Ms. Mathew, however, says steps have been taken to clean up the place and that there are sufficient number of bins in the area.
