Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac’s offer on Monday that the PWD is willing to take over the development of the Padma Junction-Pullepady-Thammanam-Chakkaraparambu-Infopark corridor came as a surprise to those present at the inauguration of work on the Vyttila flyover.
Intervening soon after Mayor Soumini Jain sought funds to acquire land for developing the corridor and requested the government to declare the stretch as a ‘Commercial-IT Corridor’, Mr. Isaac said the Kochi Corporation should surrender the road to the PWD, much to the applause of the guests. He also promised to release Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) funds for the purpose.
The government had earlier this year turned down the corporation’s demand to take over the Thammanam-Pullepady stretch (which lies parallel to SA Road), saying it did not want to take over roads owned by any municipal body.
Expressing happiness at the Minister’s unexpected announcement and acknowledging it with a big “thank you”, Ms. Jain said Minister for Public Works G. Sudhakaran too had assured help if the corporation resent a copy of the document (sammatha patram) forwarded earlier this year and during Mr. Tony Chammany’s mayorship, surrendering the road to the PWD.
Asked as to when the corporation would utilise funds worth ₹25 crore allotted during UDF rule to acquire land, the Mayor said ₹30 lakh had already been spent in November to resurface the Kathrikadavau-Karnakodam stretch. Another ₹2 crore will shortly be used to widen the chaotic Thammanam Junction and a few other narrow stretches.
KITCO proposal
On the demand by the Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad (KSSP) and a few other bodies to execute the twin flyover proposal at Vyttila made by KITCO, PWD sources told The Hindu that it would have involved land acquisition.
KSSP district development convenor G. Gopinathan said the traffic-signal system at Vyttila junction would remain if the flyover was built on the basis of the PWD design. “The KITCO proposal would have done away with the need for the signal system and the proposed underpass, ensuring smooth flow of vehicles in all directions. Constructing an underpass too will need land acquisition near SA Road and Thripunithura Road. It also poses the risk of getting flooded since the underwater table at Vyttila is very high,” he said.
Traffic diversion
Traffic is likely to be regulated only after medians are knocked down and shifting of underground utility lines begins. Barricades will be erected at 12-metre width on either side of the bypass when the work begins. Still, there will be space left for two-lane traffic in each direction, sources said.
Aimed at streamlining vehicles, street lights will be installed on service roads and drains will be covered using slabs.
