I wish to draw the kind
attention of the Prime Minister of India, the Minister of Transport
& Highways and the Minister of Railways at New Delhi, the Chief Minister of
Kerala and the State Minister of PWD & Highways & Railways at
Thiruvananthapuram, to an emergent and viable development scheme, which saves
time, fuel and money and helps in the future development of the city of Kochi,
Kerala State.
The proposal is to construct a seven kilometer long,
new National Highway-47-bypass (NH-47-bypass), which would commence from half a
kilometre north of NH-47 toll plaza at Kumbalam south-east and end at Atlantis
in the city of Kochi. The NH-47-bypass would connect the Kumbalam Railway
Station located at the north-west of the NH-47 toll plaza. The proposed
NH-47-bypass would proceed northwards, parallel to the railway line at
Kumbalam. A wide Road Under Bridge (RUB) has to be constructed for the proposed
NH-47-bypass beneath the railway embankment, passing at a height of 8 meters or
more at Kumbalam North. This NH-47-bypass would go on further north through the
proposed earth bund and a small pillar bridge having
four or five spans between Thevara and Kumbalam backwaters and continue
further, either through the western (or eastern) side of Thevara to meet the
NH–49 Highway Junction at Thevara. The proposed NH-47-bypass has to be further
extended up to Kadavanthara South on a pillar bridge through the backwaters on
the eastern side of Thevara and through the reclaimed canal area in between
Thevara and Konthuruthy. From the Kadavanthra South Junction area, there is an
approach road proceeding north-west which was formed for the construction of a
Road Over Bridge (ROB) above the railway line to connect it to M.G. Road, at
Atlantis and further to Pallimukku in the city of Kochi. The Panampilly Nagar
Extension Road, part ways at Kadavanthara South and proceeds further north to
Manorama Junction. The NH-47-bypass from Kumbalam south-east to Atlantis is a
long cherished dream of the Islanders of Kumbalam. All the buses that ply up to
the Thevara Ferry could be
extended up to Kumbalam south end to service commuters
who lack proper transport facilities. It is a shortcut to Atlantis and
Pallimukku at Ernakulam, saving eight kilometers. This would also facilitate
easier access to the city of Kochi from Alleppy side through the
Kumbalam-Thevara Bridge. This is also a very practical solution to the never
ending traffic snarls one witnesses every day at major junctions such as
Vytilla and Kundanoor on the NH-47. A sketch of the proposed NH-47-bypass,
commencing from Kumbalam South to Atlantis at Ernakulam with the proposed
bridge between Thevara and Kumbalam, is annexed herewith for easy reference.
Later, this NH-47-bypass from Kumbalam south could be
further extended up to the Phase IV Ring Corridor
network proposed by the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA), commencing from
Mulamthuruthy-Udayamperoor-Panangad-Kumbalam south, to stop at NH-47 at
Kumbalam. This would facilitate a circular route to ease congestion in
Kundannoor, Vyttila and Trippunithura town.
The existing road on the eastern side of the railway
line at Kumbalam North would also connect Nettoor Island through the
Kumbalam-Nettoor Bridge, for which technical and administrative sanction has
already been obtained. The acquisition of land for
widening Panditji Road is in progress.
I wish to point out that three-fourths
of the backwaters in between Kumbalam and Thevara is very shallow (one
meter during low tide and two meters at high tide on the Kumbalam side.) A
reasonable area of the backwaters can be reclaimed, developed and sold to make
residential cum commercial buildings. The available
open spaces could be utilized for making walkways and parks. This would, no
doubt, make the Thevara-Kumbalam Bridge and NH-47-bypass project viable
as was done in the case of GIDA bridges to Vypeen Islands from Ernakulam. It is pertinent to note that the reclamation for GIDA
Bridge Project was approved by the High Court of
Kerala as well. The soil that would be dredged for the National Water
Ways and Inland Navigation can be utilized for reclamation of these areas.
In this connection, it is significant to
note that the Cochin Port Trust had given
necessary consent / No Objection Certificate (vide Letter No. B5-2477 / 1976
dated 16-6-1977) for a similar scheme, when a fish pond by putting up a bund by reclamation at
the same area along with the construction of
Kumbalam-Thevara Bridge was considered by them.
Apart from the above, we, the Islanders,
also point out that the railway embankment and the railway-line at Kumbalam
North are constructed at a height of six to eight meters or more. The railway
has already made provision to drain excess water during monsoon rains from the
Thirunilath paddy fields and other properties that are situated on the western
side of the railway embankment. However, this is not enough to avert the
flooding of water. People residing on the western side continue to face
flooding and health problems during the monsoons. Therefore, it is just and
necessary to construct a new wide drain beneath the railway embankment
connecting the Thirunilath paddy fields on the west, to the ‘Tharamassery
Concrete Public Drain’, on the eastern side of railway embankment, located on
the northern side of the ‘Tharamassery Concrete Public Road, about fifty meters
north of Panditji Road. It is covered with concrete slabs constructed by the
Kumbalam Panchayath. The Tharamassery Concrete Road, with a public drain is
situated in between Re Sy. Nos. 19 and 20 of Block 15 of Kumbalam Village.
On behalf of the Islanders of Kumbalam, I
humbly pray that Your Honour may be pleased to order an on-the-spot study of the proposals made and find
ways to sanction and implement the proposed scheme for the construction of
NH-47-bypass starting from the NH-47 at Kumbalam South Toll area; a wide Road
Under Bridge (RUB) beneath the railway embankment for the proposed NH-47-bypass
at Kumbalam North; an approach bund road and a
small pillar Bridge between Kumbalam and Thevara, to connect NH-49
Highway junction at Thevara, and further continuing to Kadavanthara South
through the backwaters in between Thevara and Konthuruthy and then through a
Road Over Bridge (ROB) to M.G. Road at Atlantis, to Pallimukku in the city of
Kochi; and an additional wide drain to connect Tharamassery Public Drain
situated on the eastern side at Kumbalam North to avert flooding, and thus
render justice to the Islanders of Kumbalam
and the commuters from Alleppy side to the city of Cochin, to ease the traffic
congestion in Kundanoor and Vyttila junction
on the NH-47, and for the progress and development of the city of Kochi as expeditiously as possible.
Excerpts from
NEED OF THE HOUR
by
Joseph J. Thayamkeril
Lawyer, Kochi, Kerala, India.
No comments:
Post a Comment