The Vyttila and Kundanoor flyovers that were kept on hold are all set to be revived.
The foundation stone for the twin six-lane flyovers costing Rs 190 crore will be laid before the model code of conduct for Assembly polls takes effect. “The PWD is hopeful of getting no-objection certificate (NOC) issued by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) which owns NH 47 Bypass, in two days’ time,” Minister for Public Works V. K. Ebrahim Kunju told The Hindu.
A team of officials led by PWD’s Principal Secretary A. P. M. Mohammed Hanish had met NHAI Chairman Raghav Chandra a week ago after Finance Department objected to State funds being spent for flyovers on an NHAI corridor.
“The PWD can commence works once it gets NHAI’s NOC, followed by Finance Department’s concurrence. Funds can be sourced from cess levied (by State government) on fuel,” Mr Kunju said.
The State government decided to pool in funds to construct flyovers after NHAI came up with a Rs 1,500 crore proposal to build flyovers at the twin junctions, apart from Palarivattom and Edapally. “The NHAI reiterated its stand that it would levy toll on motorists using the structures if it were to build them. No toll would be levied if they are built using State funds,” Mr Mohammed Hanish said.
Details like detailed project report and design of the twin flyovers were shown to NHAI officials and they were convinced of how the structures would unwind snarls at the two junctions. Presuming that works begin in February, the flyovers can be readied in 18 months’ time – by August 2017. We are pursuing our demand for NHAI’s NOC with the agency’s head office and with the Chennai regional office, a senior PWD official said.
Experts had conveyed their dismay at flyover projects in the two junctions which are among the busiest in the State being put on hold, despite intra-city, inter-district and inter-State vehicles using them during day and night.
The Palarivattom flyovers is expected to be thrown open to motorists by Roads and Bridges Development Corporation of Kerala (RBDCK) in February, while Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) is expected to ready Edapally flyover in April.
