The congested Ayurveda College Junction-Kunnumpuram road is to be widened into a 15-metre carriageway.
The widening of the 500-metre-long road that links the Uppidamoodu-Kunnumpuram-Ambujavilasom Road with the arterial road has been pending for years. The link road is also used for diverting traffic when rallies are taken along M.G. Road.
The widening of the road became a necessity with Ayurveda College Junction becoming the hub of shopping and commercial activities. Educational institutions and a cinema house on the narrow road compound traffic troubles.
Moreover, the stretch is used by hundreds who commute from Thampanoor-Overbridge stretch to Pettah, Vanchiyoor, and Kaithamukku.
The decision to launch the work was taken after the Chief Engineer, PWD (Roads and Bridges), informed the government that the administrative sanction given for acquiring land at a cost of Rs.70 lakh in 2009 would soon become de novo . The Chief Engineer had sought an additional Rs.7.3 crore to acquire land.
Official sources told The Hindu that the government had given administrative sanction to provide Rs.8 crore to the PWD for land acquisition. At present, the width of the road varies from 6 to 8 metres.
A PWD official said the amount sanctioned was only for land acquisition and separate allocation was needed for road construction. The estimate and other details had to be worked out. Though there would not be any median in the new road, storm water drains would be constructed.
Another proposal to widen the Ambujavilasom road that links Pulimoodu to Kunnumpuram is in cold storage.
