Steps would be taken to decongest service roads and side roads in and around Vyttila Junction, it was decided at a meeting convened here on Tuesday by the city traffic police.
This followed demands raised by Vyttila United Forum, a newly formed conclave of residents’ associations, merchant bodies and the people’s representatives. Assistant Commissioner of Police (Edappally Traffic) A.V. George said consultations would be held with stakeholders such as the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and senior police officials on removing hassles to free movement of vehicles at Vyttila.
“Though traffic reforms have decongested the bypass junction, side roads and service roads are still congested. This can be lessened if the NHAI constructs a wider underpass beneath Vyttila bridge where there is ample space for a new underpass. The issue will be taken up with the NHAI again,” he said.
He added that problems posed by parking of private inter-State multi-axle buses at the junction would be sorted out shortly.
A meeting of bus owners would be convened. The buses could either be parked at Vyttila Mobility Hub or elsewhere. The NHAI had assured that encroachers on service roads and footpaths would be removed and notices had been issued to hasten the process, he said.
Shine P S, who represents Vyttila division in the Kochi Corporation, said the civic agency was citing audit objection as a reason for not pooling funds for developing the underpass. “I will take up the issue with PWD Minister G. Sudhakaran, since the NHAI would take years to build the underpass. The demand to relocate halting points of luxury buses away from the junction and to drive away encroachers is a long-pending one,” he said.
