Kozhikode: While the city administration pins hope in the upcoming Rs 122 crore mobility hub project at Malapparamba to ease traffic in the city which includes waterway, malls, star hotels and other facilities, Greens allege that too much commercialisation would result in diversion of the project from its envisaged target.
It is to be recalled that the mobility hub project of the district administration to come up at Malapparamba is expected to cater as a gateway to the city from where a passenger can avail cabs, city buses, boats, bicycles and waterway transportation. Tourist buses and trucks have to be parked at the hub.
An art gallery, helipad, light metro station also has been envisaged as part of the hub. The plan to complete the project with financial support from the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) proved futile due to protest from various quarters and the delay in getting the 20 acres land required for the project.
More over what irks the Greens is the fact that the land identified for the project is low-lying land which is enlisted in the data bank. Any attempt to level the land would affect the eco-system, it was pointed out.
Shaju K of Green Hope society told DC that rather than ensuring comforts for the passengers more focus has been given to constructing malls and shopping centres. Such deviation from the original target would result in converting the entire zone as a shopping destination rather than a mobility hub, he pointed out.
“Wherever we have shopping zones the traffic jam is very much visible, Mr Shaju said, adding that the mobility hub would be another cram-med zone soon after the completion of the project if things take wings in such a way.
Meanwhile Corporation standing committee chai-rperson P.C. Rajan told DC that the hue and cry about the land identified for the project is baseless as the land is yet to be finalised and not at all acquired. “Shortage of funds also affected the project”, he said, adding that this budget will have some significant share for the project.
