An unusual offer awaits Kochi Mayor Soumini Jain when she returns to the city on Wednesday from a trip to Bahrain.
The CPI(M)-led Opposition will approach the Mayor with an offer to take up the operation of the much delayed roll-on roll-off facility from Fort Kochi.
“We can make the system functional within seven days. Since the civic administration has failed to resolve the deadlock over its operation, the Opposition is willing to take up the challenge,” said K.J. Antony, the leader of the Left Democratic Front in the council.
The Opposition shall kick-start the service without disrupting the jankar service as decided by the civic administrators. “The civic body could depute a team of councillors from both the ruling front as well as the Opposition to oversee its operation.
The Opposition shall operate the facility without taking any profit from it and all the revenue and the profit shall go to the Corporation’s coffers,” said Mr. Antony.
Incidentally, the facility, which was tagged as one of the flagship projects of the civic body, could not be launched due to confusion over its mooring facility.
An all-party meeting convened by the civic body earlier had decided to suspend the jankar service for some time to facilitate the creation of the mooring facility. However, the CPI (M) had stayed away from the meeting.
Responding to the development, works standing committee chairman P.M. Harris said the CPI(M) should have aired its view at the meeting rather than boycotting it. There has been a delay in launching the facility. “The Cochin Port Trust has submitted a report on the issue, which will be discussed after the Mayor returns to the city,” he said.
The Cochin Shipyard had constructed the vessels for the civic body to be operated from Fort Kochi and Vypeen. The vessel can ferry 18 cars and 50 passengers.