Discontent is brewing among the corporation councillors of five divisions immediately affected by the proposed traffic diversion plan, which was drawn up without consulting them, in connection with the construction of Vyttila flyover.
Vyttila, Chambakkara, Poonithura, Vyttila Janatha and Ponnurunni divisions are likely to be the hardest hit in the wake of the implementation of the proposed traffic diversion.
‘Not practical’
“None of the five councillors were consulted by the officials before preparing the plan, which is not practical, considering the heavy traffic in some of the narrow stretches through which diversions have been proposed. We will organise popular campaigns against any such move and will not allow them to put up signboards to execute the diversions,” said M. Premachandran, councillor for the Vyttila Janatha division. He said authorities concerned would have to think of alternative proposals in consultations with the people’s representatives.
Chambakkara division councillor V.P. Chandran said proposals putting people to hardships would have to be strongly protested. For instance, the proposal to divert traffic through the Pump House Road, which is already chock-a-block with traffic due to the movement of vehicles emerging from the Vyttilla Mobility Hub, seems ill-conceived.
P.S. Shine representing Vyttila division was also critical of the diversion plan, which he termed “impossible to implement”. He criticised the move to divert traffic through the Ponnurunni underpass. Mr. Shine warned of protests unless alternative proposals were drawn up in consultation with the people’s representatives.
Rajeev K. Chandrasekharan representing Ponnurunni division said it was hard to think of additional traffic through the underpass where traffic logjam is already a permanent feature during peak hours.
Twin proposals
He said the scope of twin proposals — of widening the Refinery Road connecting Salim Rajan Road up to near the mobility hub to help divert two wheelers through it and acquisition of land along the underpass to cut a direct link to the hub – should be considered. But, he wasn’t sure how much acceptance the proposals would receive given the present circumstances.
