T’puram: The construction of K-Space Park project in Technopark Phase IV at Pallipuram in the capital, which had remained stalled for the past few months over demands from locals for a connecting road, is set to resume in full swing next week with the state govt resolving the access issue. The state govt has decided to construct a 2.5km public road connecting the residential area near the park to the main road network.The proposed road is expected to provide direct access to NH 66 and significantly improve connectivity for residents as well as the upcoming technology hub. The road was earlier a mud track and locals had been demanding its development into a proper motorable road. The issue had affected the progress of construction works at the park, resulting in the project being stalled for the past five months. The govt has entrusted the PWD with the construction of the road. For this, no-objection certificates (NOCs) are being obtained from the agencies concerned. Technopark and the NHAI have nearly completed the process, while Mangalapuram panchayat is expected to give its approval soon.Once the remaining formalities are completed, PWD will prepare a detailed project report (DPR) for the 2.5km road and initiate the construction process. The DPR will finalise the cost estimate for the road project.The Kurakkode-Edavilakam Road is around 2.5km long. The first 800m of the road is badly damaged, while the remaining stretch had been tarred earlier. Locals had earlier alleged that the road was damaged due to the movement of tipper trucks carrying soil for the construction of a boundary wall as part of the space park project. They said around 1,000 people use the road every day to travel to Murukkumpuzha and Chirayinkeezhu, and school buses also ply along the route.“The project is now back on track. The work had been stalled for quite some time due to the issue concerning road access. Once all the NOCs are received and the PWD completes the formalities, work on the road can begin. The existing road is only a mud track and will be developed into a full-fledged road, providing direct access to NH-66. This will be a major benefit for the locals as well as the space park. It is a win-win situation and will help the project move forward,” said K-Space Park CEO G Levin.Meanwhile, the project authorities have issued the work order to IRCON, the contractor executing the project. An amount of around Rs 187 crore has been earmarked for the contractor, and the authorities are in the process of releasing the initial payment to enable the resumption of construction.Officials said the initial fund release is expected shortly, following which the contractor can mobilise resources and restart the work. The project is expected to regain momentum once the road connectivity issue is settled.The development is also expected to benefit the surrounding residential areas, where residents have long sought better road connectivity. With the proposed road providing a direct link to NH 66, the govt and project authorities expect the infrastructure requirement of both the local community and the technology park to be addressed simultaneously. The K-Space Park is being developed as a major technology infrastructure project in the capital, with the facility intended to support the state’s growing space and technology ecosystem.Former chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan laid the foundation stone for the Space Park in June last year. The first phase of the project was targeted for completion within two years. The project is expected to create more than 6,000 jobs.
