The Kochi "green corridor" has yet to become a reality

Despite the detailed project report (DPR) being submitted in 2020, Kochi Corporation's Green Corridor project, a 12-metre wide, 2.5 km long stretch connecting Ernakulam Town and Ernakulam Junction railway stations, is still on hold. The Mobilise Your City (MYC) programme of the European Union was to provide a $1 million grant for the project's implementation, along with assistance from a French development organisation. The civic body's insufficient follow-up, however, has halted its advancement. There is no clear explanation from Mayor M. Anilkumar for why the project is not moving forward. “The corporation is currently focused on Thammanam-Pullepady road widening, commissioning of its office at Marine Drive, Operation Breakthrough, etc,” said Anilkumar. According to police officers, the corridor's designated stretch is now a hotbed of antisocial behaviour, and the project's completion will rid the area of drug dealings and other illegal activities. The inspection and survey were carried out in the last couple of years by railway and corporation officials, but there is no indication of the project taking off, says Varghese. “After it gets dark, the area becomes dangerous for passersby. There are no streetlights and a lot of illegal activities take place here,” he said, adding that just last week officers arrested a few drug peddlers from the area. The project has been envisaged as a pedestrian-friendly walkway, where only electric autos and bicycles will be permitted to ply. By road, the two railway stations are 4.8km apart via MG Road and 4.4km through Chittoor Road. “The project involves very limited land acquisition, with Indian Railways and Kochi Corporation in ownership of most of the stretch. Only 500-600 metres of land will need to be acquired from private parties,” said Dhanuraj, chairman of the Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR). “Both the railway stations are undergoing renovation, and this corridor is required for easy accessibility between the two. The proposed stretch will also connect Kerala State Road Transport Corporation’s (KSRTC) bus stand and Metro stations and will help in decongesting MG Road and Banerjee Road,” he added. A Southern Railways spokesperson stated that it is entirely a state project. “The planning, execution and even funding of the project are being handled by state government agencies, mainly the corporation,” said the spokesperson. “Only thing associated with the railway is the fact that the pathway passes through the railway yard boundary and also the railway yard. However, as to the progress of the project, the initiative has to come from the side of the corporation,” he said. The spokesperson stated that land must be given up in order for the pathway to be built, “So far, only the land or the route of the pathway has been identified by the civic body. They have neither approached the railways regarding the handing over of the land nor has any piece of property belonging to the railways been provided to the civic body as of now.” The ‘Green Corridor’ would be a blessing to commuters and passengers who depend on trains for travel. “Once such a corridor is constructed, people from Kaloor and other nearby places won’t have to travel a long distance to reach South station, which is the stop for many of the trains headed to Thiruvananthapuram, via Kottayam and Alappuzha,” said Liyons J, secretary. “They can even make use of the pathway to reach the KSRTC bus stand if they are unable to catch a train,” he added. Right now, people have to walk on the tracks to reach the KSRTC bus stand, said Liyons. “The availability of such a corridor would come in very handy, especially at night,” he added. See also: Western Railways pushes Green Corridor project at Ekta Rly Station Union Cabinet has approved the second phase of the Green Corridors project worth Rs120 bn