The traders who will be evicted from beneath the Ernakulam North overbridge for its reconstruction will be rehabilitated at the land owned by the corporation at Paramara road.
The Kochi Corporation Council, which met on Monday, approved a resolution moved by Mayor Tony Chammany in this regard. The 15 traders will be allowed to stay there free-of-cost till the shops are reconstructed.
Mr. Chammany informed the Corporation Council meeting that the civic body had been extending all possible cooperation and support to the Delhi Metro Railway Corporation (DMRC) for the preparatory works of the Kochi metro railway project.
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The reported statement of a senior DMRC official that the corporation had not fulfilled its responsibilities was totally baseless, he said. K.V. Manoj of the CPI (M) brought the issue to the notice of the council. He also criticised the civic authorities for failing to complete the ground work on time.
In his reply, Mr. Chammany said that it was unfortunate that the corporation was dragged into unnecessary controversies. The original scheme was to rehabilitate the traders in the shops that were to be built beneath the Thammanam-Pullepady overbridge. However, the construction of the shops was delayed, eventually holding up the rehabilitation, he said.
Earlier, traders, under the aegis of the Kerala Samsthana Vyapari Vyavasayi Samithi, took out a march to the Corporation office demanding their rehabilitation.
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Several councillors complained that the corporation was kept in the dark regarding the traffic regulations introduced in the city.
Mr. Chammany said that the police had earlier shared their suggestions regarding the traffic diversions with the council. A meeting of the councillors with police officials will be convened to discuss the issue, he said.