Historic Synagogue street in Kochi’s Jew Town to get a facelift

Lane to be paved with cobble stones; duct being readied to carry power cables

The historic street at Jew Town in Mattancherry leading to the 450-year-old Paradesi Synagogue will shortly be paved using cobble stones, while a duct is being readied at the centre of the road to carry power cables and other utilities. The work is being done as part of the Cochin Smart Mission Limited (CSML) project to upgrade roads and drains at Mattancherry and Fort Kochi heritage towns. The agency decided to include the streets that end at the synagogue in the purview of works in Jew Town following demands from heritage enthusiasts, sources said. “Semi-polished cobble stones will be laid on the street for tourists and others who walk to the synagogue, while polished cobble stones will be laid on one side for wheelchair access. Polished stones on the entire stretch could result in visitors slipping and falling during rainy weather. It was decided to ready a duct through the centre of the street which is flanked on either side by heritage buildings. Trenching the sides of the lane for duct or drain work could affect their structural stability,” they added.