I wish to
draw the kind attention of the Prime Minister of India, the Minister of
Transport & Highways and the Minister of Railways at New Delhi, the Chief
Minister of Kerala and the State Minister of PWD & Highways & Railways
at Thiruvananthapuram, to an emergent and viable development scheme, which
saves time, fuel and money and helps in the future development of the city of
Kochi, Kerala State.
Kumbalam
is a tiny God’s Own Island; the bank of which is washed by the gentle waves of
Vembanat Lake. In olden times, Kumbalam was a seat of higher learning in the
Vedas, a significant military base, military training centre, and a hub for
trade. It is situated on the Muzuris-Kollam inland-navigation route through
which Megasthenese (B.C. 98), Pliny (1st century A.D.,) Ptolomy-2 (2nd
century A.D.), Marco Polo (13th century A.D.) and other foreign
travelers cruised this region, and its location made it geographically
significant. It is a potential destination for
tourists. It is one of the major
developing semi-urban Islands situated six kilometers south-west of Ernakulam
in the City of Kochi. The National Highway-47, having four lanes and side roads
passes through the south-eastern portion of Kumbalam. It is the southern
gateway to Kochi commercial city for people coming from Alleppy and other
southern districts of Kerala State. The Ernakulam-Thiruvananthapuram railway
line via, Alleppy also passes through this Island and there is a major railway
station at Kumbalam. It is situated on the border of the Corporation of Kochi,
comprised under the Kumbalam Village. It is also a significant landmark in the National
Highway and Southern Railway maps.
Kumbalam
is a narrow strip of land, which is about 4 kilo-meters in length and an
average of about one kilo-meter in width. Kumbalam is situated at 9.916667
degree North latitude and at 76. 3 degree East longitude.
The
proposal is to construct a seven kilometer long, new National Highway-47-bypass
(NH-47-bypass), which would commence from half a kilometer north of NH-47 toll
plaza at Kumbalam south-east and end at Atlantis in the city of Kochi. The
proposed NH-47-bypass would connect the Kumbalam Railway Station located little
north-west of the NH-47 toll plaza. The proposed NH-47-bypass would proceed northwards;
parallel to the railway line (10 meter wide roads on either side) at Kumbalam.
A wide Road Under Bridge (RUB) has to be constructed for the proposed
NH-47-bypass beneath the railway embankment, passing at a height of 8 meters or
more at Kumbalam North. This NH-47-bypass would go on further north through the
proposed earth-bund and a pillar bridge having four or five spans between
Thevara and Kumbalam backwater and continue further, either through the western
or eastern side of Thevara to meet the NH–49 Highway Junction at Thevara. The
proposed NH-47-bypass has to be further extended up to Kadavanthara south on a
pillar bridge through the backwater on the eastern side of Thevara and through
the reclaimed canal area in between Thevara and Konthuruthy. From the
Kadavanthra south Junction area, there is an approach road proceeding
north-west which was formed for the construction of a Road Over Bridge (ROB)
above the railway line to connect it to M.G. Road, at Atlantis and further to
Pallimukku in the city of Kochi. The Panampilly Nagar Extension Road, part ways
at Kadavanthara south and proceeds further north to Manorama Junction. The
NH-47-bypass from Kumbalam south-east to Atlantis is a long cherished dream of
the Islanders of Kumbalam. When the proposed Kumbalam-Thevara Bridge is
complete, all the buses that ply up to the Thevara Ferry could be extended up
to Kumbalam south end to service commuters who lack proper transport facilities.
It is a shortcut to Atlantis and Pallimukku at Ernakulam, saving eight
kilometers. This would also facilitate easier access to the city of Kochi from
Alleppy side through the Kumbalam-Thevara Bridge. This is also a very practical
solution to the never ending traffic snarls one witnesses every day at major
junctions such as Vytilla and Kundanoor on the NH-47. A sketch of the proposed
NH-47-bypass, commencing from Kumbalam South to Atlantis at Ernakulam with the
proposed bridge between Thevara and Kumbalam, is annexed herewith for easy
reference.
Later,
this NH-47-bypass from Kumbalam south could be further extended up to the Phase
IV Ring Corridor network proposed by the Greater Cochin Development Authority
(GCDA), commencing from Mulamthuruthy-Udayamperoor-Panangad-Kumbalam south, to
stop at NH-47 at Kumbalam. This would facilitate a circular route to ease
congestion in Kundannoor, Vyttila and Trippunithura town.
The
existing road on the eastern side of the railway line at Kumbalam north would
also connect the nearby Nettoor Island also through the Kumbalam-Nettoor
Bridge, for which technical and administrative sanction has already been
obtained. The acquisition of land for widening Panditji Road work and the
construction work of the bridge by the PWD of Kerala State are in progress.
I wish to
point out that three-fourths of the backwater in between Kumbalam and Thevara
is very shallow (one meter during low tide and two meters at high tide on the
Kumbalam side.) A reasonable area of the
backwater can be reclaimed, developed and sold to make residential cum
commercial buildings. The available balance open spaces could be utilized for
making walkways and parks. This would, no doubt, make the Thevara-Kumbalam
Bridge and NH-47-bypass project viable as was done in the case of GIDA bridges
to Vypeen Islands from Ernakulam. It is pertinent to note that the reclamation
for GIDA Bridge Project was approved by the High Court of Kerala as well. The
soil that would be dredged for the National Water Ways and Inland Navigation
can be utilized for reclamation of these areas.
In this
connection, it is significant to note that the Cochin Port Trust had given
necessary consent / No Objection Certificate (vide Letter No. B5-2477 / 1976
dated 16-6-1977) for a similar scheme, when a fish pond by putting up a bund by
reclamation at the same area along with the construction of Kumbalam-Thevara
Bridge was considered by them.
Apart
from the above, we, the Islanders, also point out that the railway embankment
and the railway-line at Kumbalam north are constructed at a height of six to
eight meters or more. The railway has already made provision to drain excess
water during monsoon rains from the Thirunilath paddy fields and other
properties that are situated on the western side of the railway embankment.
However, this is not enough to avert the flooding of water. People residing on
the western side continue to face flooding and health problems during the
monsoons. Therefore, it is just and necessary to construct a new wide drain
beneath the railway embankment connecting the Thirunilath paddy fields on the
west, to the ‘Tharamassery Concrete Public Drain’, on the eastern side of
railway embankment, located on the northern side of the ‘Tharamassery Concrete
Panchayath Road, about fifty meters north of Panditji Road. It is covered with
concrete slabs constructed by the Kumbalam Panchayath. The Tharamassery
Concrete Road, with a public drain is situated in between Re Sy. Nos. 19 and 20
of Block 15 of Kumbalam Village.
On behalf
of the Islanders of Kumbalam, I humbly pray that Your Honour may be pleased to
order an on-the-spot study of the proposals made and find ways to sanction and
implement the proposed scheme for the construction of NH-47-bypass starting
from the NH-47 at Kumbalam South Toll area; a wide Road Under Bridge (RUB)
beneath the railway embankment for the proposed NH-47-bypass at Kumbalam North;
an approach bund road and a small pillar
Bridge between Kumbalam and Thevara, to connect NH-49 Highway junction at
Thevara, and further continuing to Kadavanthara South through the backwaters in
between Thevara and Konthuruthy and then through a Road Over Bridge (ROB) to
M.G. Road at Atlantis, to Pallimukku in the city of Kochi; and an additional
wide drain to connect Tharamassery Public Drain situated on the eastern side at
Kumbalam North to avert flooding, and thus render justice to the Islanders of
Kumbalam and the commuters from Alleppy side to the city of Kochi, to ease the
traffic congestion in Kundanoor and Vyttila junction on the NH-47, and for the progress and
development of the city of Kochi as expeditiously as possible.
Excerpts from
MEMOIRS
An autobiography
by
Joseph J. Thayamkeril
Lawyer, Kochi, Kerala, India.
josephjthayamkeril.blogspot.com
josephjthayamkeril@gmail.com
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