Metro land acquisition procedures chug along

KOCHI: As the district administration is involved in the conduct of Lok Sabha polls, Kochi Metro authorities say that the land acquisition procedures for the project have considerably slowed down.
According to them, while the work between Aluva and Palarivattom would continue without much obstacles, there are chances that works on the other stretches would get disturbed.
"The land acquisition processes have almost come to a standstill. Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) will be able to execute civil work at places where land has already been handed over to it. At other places the progress of the work will largely depend on the ability of the district administration to carry out land acquisition," said a Kochi Metro official.
Kochi Metro officials also said that the pending decisions regarding signing of memorandum of understanding (MoU) with various private establishments for taking over land would take place "after the polls". The land acquisition procedure for widening the Vyttila-Pettah road has also slowed down. "It seems that all major decisions which will be based on discussions and negotiations with business and religious establishments will be taken after the parliamentary elections," said a Kochi Metro official.
Regarding retendering of contract for supplying 75 coaches for Kochi Metro, the officials maintained that it would delay the project by at least four months. DMRC has begun the retendering process, and it is pointed out that the proposed integration of coaches with tracks, third traction and signalling systems would be done by the fag end of 2015 or early 2016. Earlier, the Metro authority had planned to conduct trial run of first lot of coaches on the Aluva-Palarivattom stretch in August 2015.
Though it was claimed that 31 of the 40 hectares needed for constructing Metro's via duct were acquired, land acquisition is yet to be completed on the narrow corridor between Jos Junction and Ernakulam junction railway station. Small stretches on Baneerjee Road, MG Road and SA Road are yet to be widened. The authorities will also have to identify encroachments and remove them. Along the Vyttila-Pettah stretch, there is a need to acquire about 8 acres. Of this, about 35 cents belong to a school and church located at Champakkara.
The district administration expects to send the draft declaration for acquiring land "other than the disputed plots" by the end of April.
"All these developments can adversely affect the timely completion of Kochi Metro project," said a Kochi Metro official.
As the district administration gets involved in the conduct of Lok Sabha polls, the Kochi Metro authorities says that the land acquisition procedures for the project has considerably slowed down. According them, while the work between Aluva and Palarivattom would continue without much obstacles, there are chances that works on the other stretches would get disturbed.