CRIP: End in near sight

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The City Road Improvement Project (CRIP), which is changing the face of the city, is nearing completion. According to senior officials of CRIP, it would take another month for the completion of the project. Except five major projects - the Thakaraparambu flyover, Vanchiyoor-Old Collectorate Road, a stretch at Pattoor, Pettah Railway Overbridge and Pazhavangadi-East Fort stretch - all other works are progressing to meet the June 30 deadline.Currently, the Thiruvananthapuram Road Development Company Limited (TRDCL) is busy with the works of Corridors V, VI and IX. The work of Murinjapalam bridge will be completed within 10-15 days, said project director of TRDCL Anil Kumar Pandala.“The work of the bridge has been completed. It requires 21 days curing time. Work of the approach road will be completed much ahead of the 200-day time given for the completion of work,” he said.The deadline for the completion of the Murinjapalam bridge will end on June 3; however, the work will be over ahead of that,” Pandala said. Meanwhile, the sewerage work of the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) is pending on the stretch. The Ulloor-Kochulloor road work is nearing completion. Only the works of the footpath and divider need to be completed. According to Madhavan Pillai, project engineer of Kerala Road Fund Board, the Collectorate - Pattoor and Uppidamoodu - Sreekanteswaram road works, which fall under Corridor V, will be completed before June 30.Corridor VI, which includes Nalumukku -Sreekanteswaram - Mele Pazhavangadi - Choorakkattu Palayam and Corridor VIII, which includes Pattom- Medical College - Ulloor, too will be completed on time. “June 30 is the deadline fixed for the completion of CRIP. Except some stretches, all the roads will be completed before June-end,” Pillai said.Peroorkada-Vazhayila Road is another stretch which is expected to be completed in the stipulated time. Sewerage work is another hurdle before the TRDCL on the Model School-Thampanoor stretch. “We are hopeful that the KWA will complete the works and hand over the stretch soon,” said Pandala.