Kerala HC criticises Kochi Corporation over Pachalam overbridge

The Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice A.M. Shafeeque also directed the corporation to place on record the final alignment of the ROB by April 2.

The Kerala High Court on Friday expressed its displeasure over the failure of the Kochi Corporation to finalise the final alignment of the proposed rail over bridge (ROB) at Pachalam submitted by the Roads and Bridges Development Corporation.

The Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice A.M. Shafeeque also directed the corporation to place on record the final alignment of the ROB by April 2.

The Bench issued the directives when a petition moved by a group of lawyers living in Pachalam seeking a directive to construct the ROB at Pachalam came up for hearing.

Counsel for the corporation submitted that the civic body had held discussions with agencies like the Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) on the finalisation of the proposed alignment of the ROB.

Expressing its dissatisfaction over the corporation’s inaction, the Bench observed that the civic body had not moved an inch, after the discussion on the alignment submitted by the Roads and Bridges Development Corporation in 2011.

Lack of funds

The corporation submitted that earnest steps were being taken to implement a proposal to construct the ROB with the financial assistance of the Centre and State governments.

The corporation, in a statement, said that financial assistance from the Centre or State government or any other agency was essential as the corporation could not shoulder the whole expense for the project. It also said that no final decision had been taken on the proposal by the corporation because of the differences of opinion on the minimum width of the ROB and service roads. Efforts of the corporation to acquire land came a cropper because of the intervention by political parties and social and religious organisations and institutions. There was even physical obstruction by the public.

The petitioners said that the political parties which ruled the corporation had always neglected the longstanding demand of the people of the locality for an overbridge. This was due to pressures exerted by some influential persons, they said.