CRIP: KRFB hopes to meet September 15 deadline

Changing deadlines are nothing new to the City Road Improvement Project (CRIP). After the June 31 deadline, the Kerala Road Fund Board (KRFB), the implementing agency of CRIP, expects to complete the 42-km road works by September 15. However, the KRFB is taking exemption on four stretches, which face several hurdles. They include the Thakaraparambu flyover, Pattoor stretch, Pettah Railway Overbridge and Vanchiyoor-Nalla stretch.

KRFB project engineer K Madhava Pillai said the KRFB was expediting works setting September 15 as the deadline. “Except the four stretches, works on all other corridors are expected to be completed by mid-September,” he said.

Meanwhile, a team led by advisor of the project N S Sreenivasan reviewed the project last month and suggested necessary changes. He reviewed one of the major bottlenecks at Vanchiyoor, where 64 trees need to be cut down for road development. Environmentalists have raised a hue and cry over the felling of trees which they term ‘unnecessary.’ The team has come up with a revised plan, which could save as many trees as possible. “We are yet to finalise the plan. Details will be given later,” Pillai said.

There is no progress on the discussions with the Railways regarding the construction of the Pettah ROB. “We will have another round of discussion with the Railways soon,” Pillai said. The Railways and KRFB have not formed a consensus on the plan for the construction of the ROB.

A petition filed by Pharmacy Council Employees’ Union against the construction of vaults to replace the cemetery at Pattoor has became a hurdle for the development of a stretch in the area. KRFB had agreed to construct vaults as a compensation for displacing the cemeteries belonging to St Joseph’s Cathedral, Palayam, and St Thomas Marthoma Church, Pattoor, for road development.

It would take another two years to complete the works of Thakaraparambu flover. Except three, 27 piles have been completed up to Parthas. The KRFB has approached Kerala Water Authority to remove pipes to complete the remaining works. Meanwhile, the works have been shifted to the Sreekanteswaram area for the other end of flyover.