KOCHI: The Kochi Metro project that has gained much momentum is entangled in legal hurdles.Five petitions are already before the Kerala High court challenging the implementation of the Kochi Metro Rail. The pleas are mainly against land acquisition and rail alignment. The Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) has always taken the stand that all the issues could be solved in direct talks.“While implementing a big project like Metro rail, people in and around the city are likely to have problems and grievances. But this should not be a reason for delaying the implementation of the projects. KMRL is willing to examine the grievances with an open mind, subject to feasibility and without sacrificing the public interest involved in the project,” counsel for KMRL Jaju Babu told ‘Express’.Seematti Textiles has moved the court alleging foul play in the land acquisition process for the project. The owner of Seematti Textiles Beena Kannan sought a directive from the court to hear the concerns of traders before implementing the proposed Metro rail project of Kochi.She has challenged the land acquisition procedure of district administration, alignment and the proposed station. She alleged that the station that was proposed to come near Seematti has been shifted to another location that was close to another textile shop on M G road. “A good number of business men from Tamil Nadu has migrated to Kochi and they have good contacts with officials in the Central Government,” she said. Beena Kannan alleged that it was under the influence of some businessmen that the station has been changed. “Metro rail in Kochi is only in a formative stage and it still remains as a dream project. So, freezing the ongoing construction in private lands of the investor on the ground of Metro Rail is not fair,” she said in her petition. “Recently, the district collector had granted permits to many land owners to construct buildings on the side of the proposed Metro Rail route and constructions were going smoothly,” she pointed out.However, a KMRL official denied the allegation raised by Beena Kannan. “The state government had issued notification to acquire land not with any dubious intention. The government is the authority to decide whether such project is required or not. The said proposal is for the Metro rail project that will ease the traffic congestion in the city,” the KMRL official said. Meanwhile, advocate Anu Stephen has approached the court and submitted that the government and the district administration has not adhered to the recommendations made by the expert’s committee, but instead rushed for implementing the project. The committee had suggested construction of overbridges, flyovers, roads, and introduction of suburban rail services.Another petitioner, Raphel of Vyttila, sought a directive to restrain the state from spending money without prior approval of the Centre and the local authorities in Kochi. He alleged that the state had usurped the powers vested with the GCDA by virtue of the Town Planning Act. A petitioner, C A Unnikrishnan of Ponekkara, alleged that the Metro Rail would not solve the traffic problems in Kochi. The alignment was fixed with oblique motive for blocking the business and city life, he alleged.
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