VP's walk and talk with Kochi's officers

Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu, along with top district officials, took a casual stroll around Subhash park in Marine drive here today.

During his morning walk, Naidu discussed the infrastructure development of the city with the officials, including Mayor Soumini Jain and Ernakulam district collector K Mohammed Y Safirulla, official sources said.

Naidu, who reached the city yesterday after inaugurating the new Kasaragod campus of Central University, also had a brief chat with the sanitary workers and public, they said.

"Vice President of India took a morning walk at Subash Park, Marine Drive today along with the Mayor, Collector and Commissioner of Police. They discussed important projects like Smart Cities, Metro for development of Kochi," an official communication said.

He enjoyed interaction with the citizens also, it said.

Later, he took a ride in a Kochi Metro train from the Maharaja college junction to Lulu mall.

The vice president interacted with the passengers as well during the journey.

Notably, Naidu during his stint as the urban development minister had taken keen interest on the development of the city as well as the Kochi Metro.

Naidu has no official programmes in Kochi and will leave for Thiruvalla in a Navy helicopter to participate in a function to honour Marthoma Church priest Philipose Mar Chrisostom.

After the function is over, he will return to the Naval airport here this afternoon and thereon would leave for Delhi .