Blueprint of ₹200-cr. Chinnakada skyway and urban park project submitted to Kerala CM V.D. Satheesan

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Addressing a long-standing demand and taking the initial step to transform the commercial heart of Kollam, a blueprint of Chinnakada skyway and urban park project has been officially submitted to Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan. The comprehensive plan, with an estimated budget of ₹200 crore, was handed over by Minister for Labour, Dairy Development, Animal Husbandry, and Women and Child Development Bindu Krishna, alongside Kollam MP N.K. Premachandran and Kollam Mayor A.K. Hafeez.

The ambitious project was conceived to address the grievance of the local business community and urban planners. According to them, the massive concrete wall of the existing railway overbridge had severely blocked the visibility of nearby commercial establishments, while also hindering pedestrian movement and stripping Chinnakada of its aesthetic appeal. The new design aims to rectify these issues by dismantling the wall while fully retaining the current overbridge and underpass, replacing it with a sleek, modern elevated flyover.

Implemented in two distinct phases, the first stage of the project will focus on constructing a 900-m-long flyover stretching from the Chinnakada Clock Tower to Convent Junction. This phase, which is estimated to cost around ₹120 crore, will also focus on developing the ground beneath the flyover into open public spaces and lush green zones.

The second phase will extend the development by another 400 meters, connecting the Clock Tower to the Public Library at an estimated cost of ₹80 crore. A key highlight of the entire project is the utilisation of the space beneath the skyway, which will be converted into a state-of-the-art urban park featuring open playgrounds, landscaped gardens, pedestrian walkways, and dedicated spaces for community activities.