It has never been a smooth sailing for the proposed second phase development of the Vyttila Mobility Hub.
It was originally conceived five years ago when the plan was to execute it using assistance under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission. Then Kitco drew up a plan, which had to be completely redrawn following a decision to integrate it with the Kochi metro.
The newly crafted design was rejected outright by the State after it proposed five lakh sq.ft as saleable commercial area. The government said administrative sanction was out of question for such a proposal.
PPP model
The possibility of executing the project under public-private partnership model then caught the imagination of the Planning Board, which almost took another two years. Eventually, that proposal had to be dumped after it failed to attract even an enquiry.
It is now perceived that any further delay in the implementation of the project will undermine its utility considering that many other critical infrastructure works are already under way or about to be launched. For instance, Kochi Metro Rail Limited is going ahead with its integrated multi-modal transport plan, including the ambitious Water Metro project, works are set to gather momentum under the Smart City Mission, the Public Works Department plans to start the construction of Vyttila flyover shortly and widening of Kunnara-Pettah road is under way.