The Kochi Corporation has alleged that it has been kept in the dark, though simultaneous commencement of work on a six-lane flyover and the Kochi metro viaduct at Vyttila is set to begin from mid-December.
The two projects will witness heavy barricading at the busy junction and on the eastern end of SA Road, stifling movement of vehicles in the east-west direction. “We have not been consulted while finalising the traffic-diversion plan. Neither has the flyover’s alignment been shared with us,” said Mayor Soumini Jain.
“The Thammanam-Pullepady Road [that runs parallel to SA Road] is a good alternative stretch to divert vehicles. Though we handed over the road to the PWD, the State government says the corporation must develop it. All that we have is ₹25 crore [handed over during UDF rule], and it is hardly sufficient for the first phase development of the road. Land acquisition itself needs huge funds,” she added.
The Mayor said though more funds had been sought to develop the road step by step, little has materialised. “Now, it is up to the stakeholders who are spearheading traffic diversion to take a call on clearing bottlenecks,” she added.
The narrow and heavily-encroached-on Thammanam Junction is the biggest bottleneck on the stretch, and it has been witnessing serpentine traffic snarls. The junction has not been widened, though a few buildings were demolished on the south-western side.
Corporation works standing committee chairman P.M. Harris said the road was in a much better shape after it was resurfaced using funds allotted prior to the FIFA Under-17 World Cup matches. “But it has to be widened to enable smooth movement of vehicles and pedestrians. We will make efforts to mobilise resources to develop the road,” he said.
The next choice
GCDA-owned Chilavannur Bund Road, which begins at Thykoodam and located south of Vyttila on the NH Bypass, is another alternative stretch to divert vehicles. The agency has not been able to widen the 200-metre-long corridor at Thykoodam. Responding to the suggestion, Mr. Harris said a meeting would be convened shortly to discuss a way out. “The corporation can help clear bottlenecks on the stretch. Stakeholders, including metro agencies, must sit across the table and work out ways to make optimal use of such corridors which have the potential to decongest arterial roads,” he said.
People’s representatives, residents’ associations, merchant bodies, and NGOs have been expressing dissatisfaction at the lack of clarity on traffic diversion at Vyttila and the reluctance of the PWD (NH wing) to publish the design of the flyover.
