CPM disrupts metro work in Kochi

Kochi: The CPM activists halted the Kochi Metro construction works at Edapally on Wednesday citing that the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation had violated a part of the contract agreement to widen roads and maintain them.

The incident happened at 9 a.m. when the activists  asked the staff of contractor Larsen & Toubro to stop the construction work.

“It was clearly written in the contract that the road featuring metro works would be widened to 7.5 metres on either side and that the DMRC would maintain it in top condition. Currently, almost all the stretches where the Metro works are progressing are  unmotorable. Huge traffic jams can be witnessed  any time towards  Palarivattom and Kalamassery directions. We won’t allow the construction works to resume unless the roads are repaired first,”  said Mr Sakir Hussain, CPM Kalamassery area committee member, who led the protest.

 He charged that the DMRC had no effective traffic diversion plans and that the decision to divert big containers through “narrow” roads was  an instance of this. “They diverted such vehicles at CUSAT Junction – from municipal office to South Kalamassery. A container lorry got jammed the other day due to this,” Mr Hussain said.

The DMRC, meanwhile, said the roads deteriorated in the “unexpected rains” and that the same would be repaired in a week’s time. “We now got two full days without rain (Sep 9, 10). If it doesn’t rain, we will be able to restore the roads within the subsequent three to four days,” said a DMRC official.

Meanwhile, shopowners at Mamangalam junction and nearby areas complained of heavy dust due to “the contractor floating liquid wastes to the road itself. One can witness white concrete particles spread all over the road and creating  dust,”  said Mr C.P. Manoj, a shop owner.