With no zebra lines or markers to indicate where they might cross the road, pedestrians continue to be exposed to great risks at the four-way Edappally Junction.
The footpath that once existed on the side of the road where it curves south is now a spot for dumping waste, and is overgrown with grass. A signboard providing directions to travellers has been found dumped in the area.
One of the most frightening sights during busy hours is the way passengers get out of buses at the traffic signal and cross the road to the spot where buses to the southern districts stop to pick up passengers.
The free left turn for vehicles coming from the north makes crossing the road a risky affair for pedestrians.
People are seen at all times weaving their way around vehicles that queue up when traffic signals turn red. They hold themselves back only when the traffic is in full flow.
An official of National Highways Authority of India said a foot overbridge was part of the plans for the development of junction.
Proper light controls could be a lasting solution to pedestrians’ woes, he said.
He, however, added that pedestrians needed to cross the road in a disciplined manner.
Efforts to curb dangerous crossing by pedestrians at the Vyttila Junction by using barricades had failed partially because people had removed the barricades, the official said. Barricades could be used at Edappally Junction too, he added.
The woes of bus passengers and pedestrians have increased considerably with the metro rail work in progress. Though temporary, the road widening work along National Highway 47 has thrown passengers on to the road as there is little space at bus stops such as Pathadippalam, Koonamthai and several others north of Edappally Junction.
