CRIP: November 30 last deadline

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: November 30 has been fixed as the last deadline for the completion of the City Road Improvement Project (CRIP). However, though the Thiruvananthapuram Road Development Company Limited (TRDCL), the concessionaire of CRIP, is simultaneously executing the Phase I and Phase II works in various parts of the city, they are unlikely to end on time as land acquisition and shifting of utilities are still worrying them. The TRDCL has completed the work on MG Road till Overbridge. A portion of road work on MG Road is stuck as the Devaswom Board is yet to hand over its land to the Road Fund Board. The TRDCL has taken up the work at Ayurveda College junction. There is no decision on the eviction of traders from Pazhavangadi-East Fort stretch. This is likely to cause indefinite delay in the road-widening work in this area. According to Anil Kumar Pandala, vice-president of TRDCL, the work on Model School-Nandavanam stretch has been completed. “The RBI-Nandavanam stretch is stuck due to Water Authority’s pipe works. Corridor 7 (Vanross - Oottukuzhy - Secretariat) is expected to be completed in 45 days,” he said.  On Corridor 10, the junction improvement work at Peroorkada is progressing. Land acquisition is an issue yet to be settled along the Peroorkada-Vazhayila stretch. The case is pending before the High Court. “Road work from Thakaramparambu to NH Bypass (Araat Road) has been completed, while tarring is progressing from Murinjapalam to NH Bypass (Poonthi Road),” Pandala said.  Lack of co-ordination between various agencies has left the Enchakkal-Attakulangara stretch in a shambles. The KWA has dug up the tarred road on the stretch for its sewerage works. A Railway Overbridge at Pettah and cemeteries at Pattoor are posing hurdles for the development of the Airport-MLA Hostel road. Meanwhile, the TRDCL has started putting up bus shelters at various parts of the city. As many as 30 ‘Cosmo’ shelters are planned under CRIP. Also, Transport Minister V S Sivakumar has initiated talks for the rehabilitation of traders from Thakaraparambu, raising fresh hopes on the Thakaraparambu flyover project.