E Sreedharan to visit Moolampilly site Monday

KOCHI: Former chairman of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) E Sreedharan will visit the Moolampilly-Chathanad area on Monday, to look into the proposal for constructing three bridges on the Moolampilly Chathanad four-lane road. District Collector P I Sheik Pareeth has informed that E Sreedharan will reach the place by 9.30 am.The project for a four-lane road connecting the islands of Moolampilly, Pizhala, Valiya Kadamakkudi and Chathanad was approved at a meeting of the Goshree Islands Development Authority (GIDA) in January.The GIDA had requested the DMRC to take over the construction of the bridges. Following this, a high-level team of DMRC visited the proposed site last month.The Moolampilly-Pizhala bridge (180 metres), Pizhala-Valiya Kadamakkudi bridge (230 metres) and Valiya Kadamakkudi-Chathanad bridge (350 metres), are the three major bridges to be constructed on the 4.5 km-long and 22-m wide Moolampilly-Chathanad four-lane road. The estimated total cost of the project is `97.2 crore.Once completed, the road will enhance connectivity between Chathanad and Vallarpadom Container Terminal Road. The residents of Kadamakkudi panchayat will be the main beneficiaries of the project as access to Ernakulam will become easier for them, via the Container Road.The State Review Committee had sent the project to Central Forest and Environment Departments for the approval. The report from SEZ, given to the state government will be handed over to Coastal authorities for studying the feasibility of the project. In a meeting conducted by GIDA, it was decided that discussions about the land acquisition for the project, will be held with V D Satheesan MLA and S Sharma MLA, who are the representatives of the areas.GIDA has approved an amount of `142 crore for the development of Goshree Islands.Out of this, `92 crore will be spent for constructing the four bridges.