Promises aplenty for 2019

It's 2019. After a turbulent year with little to cheer about, Kochi looks forward to a great start characterised by a balanced and sustained development. While the infrastructure sector is likely to get a boost in the upcoming year, the city is also on the path of revival, including in the tourism and transport industries.The major decision-makers share with Express their plans and projects for 2019 that will accelerate the growth of the metro city

House for all

Soumini Jain
Mayor

The Kochi Corporation's checklist for the year includes housing projects. "This project is of utmost importance to me and is the first one in my list. We will work towards ensuring that every homeless family gets a shelter of their own through the Corporation's housing schemes. We will seek Central and State assistance in this regard. I  want to ensure there is no homeless person in the city by 2020," said Soumini.
The civic body will also aim for the successful completion of the 'waste to energy' plant on time. "Our to-do list includes a new Corporation building, new schemes to ensure clean drinking water for all and a focus on socio-economic issues. The machinery of the Corporation will be made more efficient and friendly," said the Mayor.

A wider city

Saleem V
GCDA chairman

The Greater Cochin Development Authority's (GCDA) focus this year will be on widening the city limits. According to Saleem V, the major plan this year is to expand the city limits so as to include more development projects. "We don't want to contain Kochi's development within the Corporation limits. With the Metro Rail and better transportation facilities available, Kochi has to be expanded, including towards the Angamaly side. We are planning projects in this direction. This will also help unclog the city, thereby solve many of its issues, including traffic problems," he said.The GCDA will also take up tourism projects aiming at luring in more domestic tourists. "Our aim is to provide entertainment within the city limits. We are devising projects around Marine Drive. As of now, the spot is losing its charm. Through our various projects, we plan to source revenue too," says Saleem.

A safer Kochi

M P Dinesh
City Police Commissioner

For the past year, Kochi city has been witnessing a fall in the overall crime rate. Hence, the City Police's prime focus will be on maintaining the trend in 2019 too. "The crime rate shows a diminishing trend and we would focus on keeping the trend this year also,” said City Police Commissioner M P Dinesh.
"The City Police will give equal importance to law and order and traffic," he added. According to him, the police will continue to take stringent actions against drug peddlers. The decline recorded in the number of theft and cheating cases is the result of effective policing measures. Earlier, the steps initiated by the police resulted in a decline in the number of accidents in main junctions and stretches. The City Police have also intensified patrolling to curb house thefts, he said.

Water Metro,the game changer
Kochi Metro Rail Ltd

The transport sector of greater Kochi area will see a revolutionary change in 2019 end with the commissioning of the Water Metro project.  As part of the Rs 750 crore project, new modernised boats are expected to start services in the Kochi backwaters by December, 2019. As part of the project, the Kochi Metro will operate 78 modern boats (fifty-five 50-seater vessels and twenty-three 100-seater boats on 15 routes covering a distance of 76 km).
 Meanwhile, the Kochi Metro services will be extended to Thykkoodam next year. There will be five new stations - Ernakulam South, Kadavanthra, Elamkulam, Vyttila and Thykoodam as per the extension plan. The preparatory work for the second phase up to Kakkanad will also be launched in 2019. There will be 11 stations in the extension from Kaloor Stadium, including Palarivattom Junction, Palarivattom Signal, Chembumukku, Vazhakkala, Kunnumpuram, Kakkanad Junction, Kochi Special Economic Zone, Chittethukara, Rajagiri, Infopark I and Infopark II.