The Kerala State Human Rights Commission (KSHRC) has sought reports from the Cochin Port Trust (CPT), the District Collector, the Public Works Department and various agencies regarding the steps initiated towards construction of the Vathuruthy Railway Overbridge, a proposed link between West Kochi and Ernakulam.
Considering a petition, KSHRC acting Chairperson P. Mohana Das noted a serious lapse from the officials concerned in carrying out the project in a time-bound manner and directed the agencies concerned to submit their reports regarding the progress of the project within two weeks.
The State government had earlier allocated ₹35 lakh towards the project, following an order by the commission to this effect.
According to the petitioner, though the CPT had earlier expressed the willingness to allocate land for establishing the project, it later asked the Roads and Bridges Development Corporation of Kerala (RBDCK) to redraw the construction plan. The redrafting process coupled with the hold-up in receiving the official nod was expected to cause a considerable delay in the project, he argued.
In his petition, Thampi Subramaniam, a councillor with the Kochi city corporation, has sought the KSHRC’s intervention to expedite the transfer of land for the project, besides directing the RBDCK to draft the construction plan in 10 days.
If the funds were allocated in time, the construction of the project should begin by this financial year itself, the petitioner demanded.