This month is decisive for a slew of flyover projects proposed for the Kalamassery-Kundanoor NH 47 stretch.
Work on the Edappally flyover will begin later this month, a design for the Kalamassery flyover will be decided in a fortnight and the plans for flyovers at Vyttila and Kundanoor will be finalised before the month-end.
As per schedule, the work on three flyovers south of Edappally Junction will commence in January 2014. However, the Kalamassery flyover will take a few more months to kickstart.
“This is because a decision has to be taken on whether the flyover has to be confined to the junction or an elevated structure has to be built bypassing Cusat Junction, TVS Junction, HMT Junction, Kalamassery Junction and the junction where Container Road takes off from Kalamassery,” said P.A. Hashim, nodal officer for the flyover projects.
The State government would shortlist a design within a fortnight from among the three envisaged for a flyover at Kalamassery Junction, while the design for flyovers proposed at Vyttila and Kundanoor would be finalised in a week, he said. The detailed project report for a flyover proposed at Palarivattom is ready.
All the five flyovers would have four-lane width and would pass parallel to the NH, since priority has been accorded to highway traffic.
At Edappally Junction, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) is expected to soon begin work on a pair of two-lane bridges parallel to the existing bridge. The agency is expected to begin preliminary works for the flyover proposed at the junction, simultaneously with the bridge works.
Two pairs of escalators will be built at the junction, to encourage people to use a foot over bridge that will come up here. The DMRC is peeved at the delay in acquiring 175 cents of land at the junction for the flyover. The land and structure are together expected to cost Rs.108 crore. “State government agencies must give an assurance on when the land will be handed over,” DMRC sources said.
The flyover proposed at Palarivattom requires 55 cents. The project cost, including land acquisition, is Rs.73 crore. The Roads and Bridges Development Corporation of Kerala (RBDCK) will execute the project.
The Vyttila and Kundanoor flyovers will be built under the Kerala State Transport Project (KSTP). Egis India is preparing a concept plan for the two flyovers and the feasibility report will be presented later this month before PWD Minister V.K. Ebrahim Kunju and people’s representatives from the district. A DPR will be prepared after this.
Speaking about the Vyttila flyover, Project Director of KSTP K. Joseph Mathew said a study was under way for widening a road near the KSEB office on the eastern side of Vyttila junction and redirecting a section of vehicles bound for Vyttila through it. “While the flyover will take care of the needs of long-distance travellers, this would streamline traffic on the Vyttila-Pettah stretch. The flyover can be commissioned in less than two years if work is done simultaneously on different sides.”
The flyover’s design will have elements from designs submitted by the NHAI and KITCO. While NHAI has proposed a conventional flyover over the junction, there are two smaller flyovers located away from the junction in KITCO’s design.
Though land acquisition will be reduced to the minimum, it will be tough to acquire land at Vyttila and Palarivattom, especially since a few buildings have been built in violation of norms, right within the bell mouths of the junction.
KSTP has already carried out a site survey for a flyover at Kundanoor, where land acquisition will be minimal.
“All the five flyovers will be able to cater to traffic requirements for another 20 years. They will be built keeping in mind the scope to widen them into six and eight lanes,” Mr Hashim said.
The Kerala Road Fund Board (KRFB) will mobilise funds for the projects. Motorists need not pay toll since they are likely to be executed in the BOT annuity mode, where the State government will reimburse the project cost each year in instalments, for a period of approximately 15 years.
This mode was adopted for developing arterial roads in Thiruvanathapuram under the City Roads Improvement Programme.
PWD sources said the works were entrusted with different agencies so that they would vie with one another to complete flyovers on time.
