Kakkanad Metro Station construction seeks green flag

The commencement of construction work for the metro station at Kakkanad Junction, which had been delayed, has now been resolved following the state government's approval to proceed with the work. Concerns regarding the safety and privacy of the children residing in a nearby children's home were raised when the KMRL decided to establish a station at Kakkanad Junction.A directive from Santhosh Kumar V T, Additional Secretary, has been issued, instructing the KMRL to ensure the safety of the children's home before initiating the construction. According to this directive, the metro authority will be permitted to acquire only 13.92 cents of land for the station, and no windows facing the children's home should be installed on the metro station.The directive outlines that prior to commencing construction on the metro station, the construction of a new underground water tank at the children's home must be completed. Additionally, a 17-ft-high boundary wall between the planned metro station and the children's home must be constructed, as specified in the order.The directive further mandates that the existing entrance gate remains unchanged, with only the security cabin being relocated by the KMRL.In a recent meeting led by district collector NSK Umesh, the police were directed to conduct regular patrols on the premises until the metro station's construction is finished. The Public Works Department (PWD) has been assigned the role of overseeing the project, acting as the nodal agency. The collector also emphasised that the KMRL is responsible for ensuring the safety of the children's home, as stated by a revenue officer.