Chamber of Commerce against cochin metro rail - Another nonsense
August 12th, 2008
If any of you have recently visited Ernakulam, you know the traffic jam problems. The roads are congested and is being utilized well over its capacity. Road rage is a common incident and sometimes it even takes an hour to cover 5 Kilometres.
The only long term solution to this is the Metro rail. All over the world (London, New York) large cities cannot function without a Metro rail. It can carry a large number of passengers and is the most convenient form of travel. In certain areas of London, car traffic is either banned or a big fee is charged for taking the car. This is possible because people can park their cars outside the city and then use Metro Rail.
In India, Calcutta, Delhi and Chennai has very good metro rail services. It will soon be a reality in Bangalore and Hyderabad. All over the world everyone agrees that this form of mass transport is the only long term solution travel problems.
But not in Kerala! Yeah, right! we all know when it comes to NONSENSE, Kerala is number one!
So it is not surprising that "Chamber of Commerce" in Kerala is saying that they will fight to prevent Metro Rail coming to Ernakulam. According to them Cochin doesn’t need a Metro Rail. They say that Cochin traders are paying maximum tax and hence has the right to prevent Metro rail plans!! Check out the Deepika news item,
This is the same group of traders who threatened to harm any government official who tries to evict them from the encroachments on the MG Road. Soon these groups are turning to parallel administration, challenging democracy and government. It is very important to deal them with iron hands, otherwise soon we end up back to the jungle law - Might is Right.
The primary reason for the protest of Chamber of Commerce is simple. Some large and influential groups/companies have big plots in Ernakulam city. The Metro rail will go through these and they have even prevented officials from conducting survey activities!
Check out this news report from Hindu,
He was addressing mediapersons in Ernakulam on Monday, after reviewing the preliminary work on the project. Answering a question posed by a journalist on opposition from some merchants to the M.G. Road alignment, he said the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, the project’s implementing agency, gives utmost importance to the number of passengers the project would benefit.
District Collector M. Beena said land acquisition procedures will continue, despite protests from some merchants along M.G. Road. K.R. Jyothilal, Transport Secretary and Mayor Mercy Williams were also present.
My only hope here is that we have some bureaucrats and politicians who can stand up to trader mafia.
Is there any project for which we don’t protest?. Guys, let us fight against Vizhinjam project. Why should big container ships come to Kerala? Hell, let us fight against everything!
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August 12th, 2008 at 10:16 pm
Ah, dont bother these scumbags.. They are a pain in the a*** everywhere in India, threatening to block every development works. In a way, one can see a point in some of their protests but not something like stopping a Metro on its track.
I wonder who gives them such ideas that a Metro is going to kill their business. There were same protests when Bypass was planned for Ernakulam as well. These Vyaparis were claiming that the Bypass is going to be the nail in downtown Cochin’s coffin..
and did it? Which is the most valuable property in Kerala now, where the bulk of business goes on???
Someone need to instill some sense in these blockheads..Ruining the life of millions of commutors and public for some nonsensical arguments which doesn’t hold water..
August 13th, 2008 at 11:30 am
These guys are all over the place… you must see their rallies in trivandrum… arrogant… to the core…
August 15th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
Kochi is just a overhyped city nothing else..smart city going to be formed with Dubai support…haha nothing could be more overhyped..as if Dubai has eons of experience in software industry..the only thing thats there is an old port and some old jews . When the brand new Vizhinjam poort comes up in Tvm, we will see who really needs metro rail. I think the traders are right at least this one time.
August 21st, 2008 at 7:25 am
protests and obstacles to progress come to kerala in all shapes and forms. A really unique state.
and this protest, from the chamber of commerce, is from the most unexpected quarters!