Construction of new corpn building in final stages: Dy Mayor

Civic body to buy only electric vehicles from now on

KOCHI

The construction of the new corporation building, which is spread over six floors and 16,000 sqm, is in the final stages, according to the annual budget document of the Kochi Corporation.

Deputy Mayor K. A. Ansiya, who proposed to raise ₹40 crore by way of loan and the own resources of the local body for the completion of the building, told the council that the tenders for setting up the internal partitions, the cabins, lifts and the false ceiling had been floated.

The paper works for the estimate for the electoral works, IT facilities, furnishing of the council halls and yard development of the building had been completed. Video conferencing, sound system and seating facilities for 100 councillors would be there in the new council hall. The new building would be a disabled-friendly one, she sai

The budget has announced the decision of the local body to come out with an e-mobility pan for the city.

Now onwards, the city corporation would buy only electric vehicles and all the vehicles of the local body would be replaced with electric vehicles in a phased manner. Steps for promoting the use of electric vehicles would be initiated, she announced.

As many as 10 electric goods carriage autorickshaws would be introduced in the Ernakulam market. The council had earlier decided to introduce 100 electric auto rickshaws in the city with the support of a German agency. The e-autorickshaws will operate in Kadavanthra, select metro stations, bus stands, railway stations and ferries. Some vehicles will also operate in select divisions of the local body, the budget document said.

Operation Footpath

The Deputy Mayor has also announced the decision of the civic administration to make all the footpaths in the city usable for pedestrians. Encroachments and illegal advertisements on the footpaths would be removed. Special squads would be formed for protecting footpaths and preventing encroachments, according to her.

Ms. Ansiya also announced the decision of the civic administration to restart the efforts for drawing up a parking policy. Steps for curbing the use of public spaces for parking would be undertaken and multi-level parking systems introduced on Build-Operate and Transfer mode, the budget document said.

The budget has also announced the decision to initiate steps to set up a green belt around the 110-acre holding owned by the Kochi Cooperation at Brahmapuram. While admitting that the measures for creating a master plan for the utilisation of the holding had not progressed, the Deputy Mayor said efforts in that direction would be initiated this year.