Tharoor demands Central Public Works Department zonal office in Kerala capital

Thiruvananthapuram: Congress Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor has demanded opening of a zonal office of the Central Public Works Department here.

According to Tharoor, he has taken up the matter with the Union Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath, making a strong case for Thiruvananthapuram to be chosen as location for Zonal Office.

Central Public Works Department had recently decided to set up a new Zonal Office exclusively for Kerala, and, as in the case of other States, it was desirable that the facility is located in the capital city, he said.

"There are all the obvious administrative and technical reasons for doing so, especially, better coordination with State Government offices, which is particularly important in a State like Kerala, with its unique problems relating to land issues, etc.," he said.

The city already had the highest concentration of central government and public sector establishments, many of them of national importance, and they could also be better served if the zonal office was opened here itself, Tharoor, who was elected to the Lok Sabha from Thiruvanathapuram,said.