The Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) on Saturday signed a memorandum of agreement with the Bhavanam Foundation Kerala (BFK), a non-profit organisation, to provide alternate housing to the people who were displaced due to the Integrated Urban Regeneration and Water Transport System project in Kochi. The canal development project covers the areas of Edappally, Thevara-Perandoor Canals and the Chilavanoor, Thevara and Market canals.
The agreement was signed by KMRL managing director APM Mohammed Hanish and the executive vice chairman of the BFK, A Alexander, in the presence of Chief Secretary Tom Jose. The details and location of the project will be worked out in due course, according to reports.
“KMRL has signed an MoU with Bhavanam Foundation and decided to partner in arranging alternative housing for the affected people. KMRL and BFK will discuss and jointly chart out a detailed action plan for covering timelines for land acquisition and for completion of rehabilitation and resettlement process,” said Mohammed Hanish, according to a report by The New Indian Express.
The KMRL has also signed a tripartite agreement with Coastal Shipping and Inland Navigation Department (CSIND) and Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) for the execution of an integrated urban regeneration and water transport project for Kochi covering Edappally and Thevara-Perandoor canals, Chilavanoor, Thevara and Market canals.
According to The Hindu, the overall cost of the project is estimated to be around Rs 1,356.16 crore. The KMRL has been coming up with various initiatives recently to ensure that the residents of Kochi use the metro.
Earlier this month, KMRL launched e-autos in Ernakulam district with aim of providing first and last mile connectivity to the commuters. As part of finding a solution to get the people of Kochi to use public transport, the Urban Transport wing decided to come up with the idea known as “public transport integration”, where all the forms of public transport are connected to each other.