CM tells KMRC to look into the plight of roads

KOCHI: The residents near Lourdes Hospital Road and Correya Road in Pachalam have got a ray of hope, as Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has asked the Kochi Metro Rail Corporation (KMRC) to look into the plight of these roads.The sudden turn of events is a result of the Councillor’s decision to take up the issue. “The Correya Road and Lourdes Hospital Road are of very high importance, especially due to the traffic diversions as part of the North RoB reconstruction. Considering the width and condition of these roads, they endure traffic at par with that of M G road. Hence, normal tarring does not ensure their longevity. That is why we took up the issue with the Chief Minister. Understanding the issue, he immediately forwarded the petition to KMRC managing director Tom Jose,” said Manikandarajan P S, Councillor, Kochi Corporation. “Kerala State Construction Corporation (KSCC) officials who visited the area said that the road work might require around Rs 2 crore,” he added. However, KMRC officials stated that they will have to review their fund position before taking a final decision. “We have already invested Rs 11 crore on the repair works of Kochi’s roads,” said Tom Jose. “We have asked the KSCC to prepare a detailed estimate for the project. Any decisions on the issue will be taken after the estimate is prepared,” he added.