A canal clogged with plastic waste and other refuse near the KSRTC bus stand in Ernakulam. | Photo Credit: H. VIBHU
With the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) being lifted, local bodies will see a flurry of activities in the coming months, including resumption of projects and works that had to be put on hold.
The MCC had come into force on the day the Election Commission of India announced the poll schedule. It was lifted after the election process ended.
The civic authorities of Kochi had to suspend several ongoing projects, including the urban housing project at Thuruthi, construction of the new Kochi Corporation office complex, clearing of drains and canals, and the Ernakulam Market renovation.
A few projects being implemented by other government agencies, including Kochi Metro Rail Limited and Cochin Smart Mission Limited, also had to be temporarily suspended. The projects that were suspended after the MCC came into force also included clearing of some major drains and canals and the installation of LED lamps on city streets, said Mayor M. Anilkumar.
The cleaning of Edappally canal was also partially hit following the announcement of the general election. Clearing of drains and removal of silt in some parts of the Palluruthy area were also affected. The installation of LED lamps is expected to bring significant savings on the civic body’s electricity bills.
Besides major projects, a large number of routine works that required floating of bids and signing of contracts also had to be stopped, leading to backlog in civic administration. The current focus of the administration was to clear backlog and resume regular flow of work, which might take nearly a month, said Mr. Anilkumar.
Once backlog is cleared, the civic administrators hope to speed up work so as to make good of the lost working days, he added.
