TRAC urges Achuthanandan to expedite city development

Seeks better coordination between various departments
Calls for augmentation of basic facilities prior to development of Vizhinjam container terminal
Says Government soft-pedalling proposal to set up an IT corridor
Thiruvananthapuram: The Trivandrum Residents Apex Council (TRAC) has urged the Government to fast-track the development of the capital city.
In a memorandum submitted to Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan here on Friday, TRAC president Amaravila Ramakrishnan Nair and general secretary K.T. Roy called for augmentation of basic facilities prior to the development of an international container terminal at Vizhinjam. The memorandum also stressed the need to complete the construction of mini-fishing harbours at Vizhinjam and Muthalapozhy on a war footing.
The memorandum urged the Government to exert pressure on the district administration to speed up land acquisition for the construction of four air bays and the extension of the runway for the international airport.
It said the Left Democratic Front (LDF) Government failed to honour its word to set up a High Court Bench in the capital city within six months of assuming power. It observed that the proposal for a CBI Court in the city failed to materialise despite approval from the Union Government and the High Court Registrar.
TRAC accused the Government of soft-pedalling the proposal to set up an IT corridor in the city. It alleged that the Technocity project was also floundering.
The memorandum appealed to the Government to take up the Theerapadham project aimed at cleaning up the Parvathy Puthanar canal and beautifying the area.
It pointed out that the high profile projects for a Biotechnology Park, Handloom Park, telecom city and Fashion Technology Institute also failed to take off. It observed that the proposals to develop tourism facilities at Kovalam, Poovar, Vellayani, Shanghumughom, Veli, Akkulam, Kadhinamkulam, Papanasam, Ponmudi, Aruvikkara and Neyyar Dam were bogged down. The memorandum said there was a move to start work on the construction of inner and outer ring roads for the capital city. It urged the Government to take up the development of the NH47 bypass, Thiruvananthapuram-Parassala four-lane road, Thycode-Kazhakuttam link road and the Ponmudi road.
Department sought
The memorandum called on the Chief Minister to ensure better coordination between various Government departments for the development of the capital city. It proposed the constitution of a separate department headed by a minister for city development.