The urgency clause will be invoked to acquire 1.75 acres of land for constructing the Edappally flyover, its service roads and a pair of bridges on either side of the existing bridge, it was decided here on Friday.
The clause will also be invoked for widening the Vyttila-Pettah road into a four-lane stretch. As for the long-pending widening of Thammanam-Pulleppady Road, it was decided that the acquisition process would be ‘fast tracked’.
Though the State government had entrusted the DMRC with the task of constructing the four-lane flyover along NH 47 to decongest Edappally junction over two months ago, work could not begin because land was not acquired.
“We are ready to commence construction of the flyover and bridges once land and funds are handed over. We are yet to be formally entrusted with the bridge works,” DMRC sources said. The agency had promised to build the flyover within 18 months. The pair of two-lane bridges can be completed within three months, PWD sources said.
The new bridges are crucial since service roads that will be built beneath the flyover will pass through them. Land acquisition on the bridge’s eastern side is not required since ample land is already available. The metro agency hopes to complete the four-lane flyover and the metro’s viaduct running through the centre for Rs.54 crore. It has set an 18-month deadline for the project.
The new bridges will be higher than the existing one. This is to ensure smooth movement of ferries through the Edappally canal that runs beneath, says a press release issued by Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL).
The KMRL will sign an MoU with the other nodal agencies - NHAI, Kerala Road Fund Board and the DMRC for executing the projects at Edappally. The flyover construction will commence at the earliest, while priority has been given to the two bridges and service roads.
All these were decided at the meeting held here between stakeholders of Kochi Metro Rail with the NHAI, PWD, Kerala Road Fund Board, RBDCK, Revenue Department and the Kochi Corporation.
Crucial aspects pertaining to key road and flyover projects of Kochi were discussed in the context of the works being undertaken for the construction of Kochi Metro as well as the need to minimise traffic bottlenecks in the city during the metro’s construction.
Vyttila-Pettah road
Regarding the widening of the narrow Vyttila-Petta road, the PWD would have to be ready for widening by the time land acquisition is complete.
For widening the Thammanam-Pulleppady road, the possibility of sourcing funds from JNNURM for road construction would be examined in consultation with the Kochi Corporation.
NH widening
It was also decided that the work on widening narrow portions of Pulinchodu-Edappally stretch and black-topping them would be taken up on an emergency basis. This is crucial for ensuring four-lane traffic when eight-metre-wide portions of the stretch are barricaded at intervals for constructing the metro’s viaduct.
The KMRL’s MD Elias George presided over the meeting. T.O. Sooraj, PWD Secretary; Shiekh Pareeth, District Collector; P. Sriram, Kochi Project Director of DMRC; senior officials of KMRL, Revenue Department, PWD-NH wing; KRFB and NHAI were present.
