Kerala: String of new projects on offer

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The last budget of the UDF government that was presented on Friday offered a string of new projects that had earlier been proposed by town planners and representatives.

However, most others are ongoing projects or the ones which had found a place in earlier budgets.
Rs 5 crore has been earmarked for new underpasses at Pattom and Peroorkada based on earlier proposals by the district administration and the Thiruvananthapuram Road Development Corporation Ltd.

For over a decade, studies have suggested the construction of a flyover from Plamoodu junction to Planning board building to avoid bottlenecks caused by educational and commercial institutions. However, due to aesthetic reasons, town planners have recently tweaked the project into an underpass.

Similarly, a delegation led by MLA K Murlaeedharan had recently demanded a new underpass at Peroorkada junction which is the confluence of heavy traffic from the civil station and bustling areas like Karakulam and Mannamoola.

To appease the coastal belt, around '10 crore has been set aside for fishing harbours at Valiyathura and Poonthura where groyne fields and a seawall hinder berthing of boats. Similarly, Rs three crore has been allocated for the Sreenarayana Museum at Varkala.

The ongoing projects and mega projects which had found a mention in earlier budgets also were repeated this time. For instance, the budget mentions the multi modal hub which envisages linking of the Pettah railway line, International Airport and the waterway of Parvathi Puthanar.

The widening of NH47 from Karamana to Kaliyikkavila stretch and the reconstruction of Vetturoad at Kazhakuttam found a mention in the budget.

The budget has earmarked Rs 25 crores to replicate the capital’s operation Anatha in other districts.  The city will also get a cut out of the Rs 7 crore that has been earmarked for the development of urban links of National Highways in urban areas. G.V Raja Sports School will be one of the two sports schools in the state to receive an aid of Rs 17 crore for development.

The budget says that the widening of the road without land acquisition in Attingal Town will be undertaken as a model for the rest of the state, though mostly government land was ceded during widening here.