Row over acquisition of church’s land for Chembumukku metro station

The potential allocation of 13.50 cents for the proposed Kochi metro station at Chembumukku has emerged as a major bone of contention among parish members of St. Michael’s Church.

The decision seems to have split the parish members, with a section favouring the allocation of the church’s land as agreed, while the other section strongly objecting to it. Those supporting the setting up of the metro station on the church’s land have since formed a Metro Station Action Council, which on Monday held a demonstration demanding the immediate launch of construction work of the Chembumukku station and an end to the alleged apathy of Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL).

However, KMRL sources said that the agency listed to undertake the social impact assessment was yet to submit the report to the district administration. “The district administration should acquire the land and hand it over to us, only after which we come into the picture,” they said.

The dispute reached a stage as the church vicar, Fr. Joseph Thattarassery, who favoured giving up the land for what was considered a public cause, was locked up in his room earlier this month. He has since then left the parish. However, his emotional messages urging the pastoral council and church’s central committee, made up of office-bearers of family units, to support giving up the land for the metro station are being widely circulated in the church’s WhatsApp groups.

The row over the positioning of the proposed metro station dates back to 2016, following which KMRL withheld the No Objection Certificate (NoC) to the church’s impending renovation. Later, following a consensus over the station alignment, KMRL issued the NoC, subject to providing necessary setbacks as stipulated in the Kerala Municipal Building Rules and not undertaking any construction activity in the space earmarked for the proposed station.

The notification of acquisition for metro stations issued on March 7, 2023, also featured the church land. However, a Save the Church movement was launched later that year when allegedly excess land of the church was demarcated for the proposed station following a survey. Later, a consensus was arrived at, following which the potential acquisition was limited to 13.50 cents.