Even as National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has drawn up plans to lay concrete blocks over junctions on the Edapally-Aroor NH bypass, gaping potholes on other parts of the stretch are yet to be repaired.
Following a public uproar, District Collector M.G. Rajamanickam had recently directed the agency to repair all potholes on the bypass, including those on the Kumbalam-Aroor bridge within a week, failing which toll collection was to be stopped. Except for filling potholes on the bridge a few days ago, using cold mix bitumen, NHAI has done little on the 17-km bypass.
Bridges and roads in the Kundanoor-Aroor stretch remain riddled with potholes. To add to this, roads on either side of the bridges have considerably sunk, forcing motorists to stop abruptly and shift gears.
The story remains unchanged at Nettoor, Kundanoor and Chalikkavattom, where potholes are found in the middle of the road.
C.T. Abraham, project director NHAI in Kochi, said that potholed parts of junctions will be paved using interlocking concrete blocks, for which formal approval of its regional officer is awaited. “A consignment of cold mix bitumen arrived recently and potholes on the road, approach to bridges etc., will be levelled using this material once the rain takes a break.”
Traffic police’s concernExpressing concern over accidents involving pedestrians on the bypass, Assistant Commissioner of Edapally Traffic Police, P.P. Shams said that the police have been asking NHAI to paint zebra crossings at junctions and bus stops, where people frequently cross the bypass. “It could even install cats-eye reflectors on the road surface near pedestrian lines to warn fast-moving vehicles to slow down. The District Road Safety Committee had asked NHAI to barricade the central median of the NH bypass, with openings at intervals, to regulate jaywalking. But nothing has been done so far,” he said.
Replying to this, Mr. Abraham said that vehicles will stop only if traffic signal lights are installed at junctions frequented by pedestrians.
Private buses forced to cancel tripsPotholed roads have taken a toll on the city’s public transport system as private buses are forced to cancel trips due to frequent traffic snarls. Kochi Corporation, PWD and municipal bodies have not repaired severely-damaged roads, despite public outcry over snarls and accidents, said Ernakulam District Private Bus Operators Association in a press release.
Vehicles, including buses, are suffering damage due to frequent trips through these roads.
Bus workers are not getting adequate rest and time to have food, due to late running for each trip, thanks to the poor condition of the roads near metro works and in other parts of the city and suburbs, general secretary K.B. Suneer said.
