The groundwork for commencing the work of the 510-m flyover at Mele Pazhavangady across the arterial road to link Power House and Thakaraparambu Roads, as part of the City Road Improvement Project (CRIP), has entered the final phase.
Trial pits were dug by the Thiruvananthapuram Road Development Company Ltd. (TRDCL) — the concessionaire of the CRIP — to carry out piling for the flyover and to find out whether there are any utilities in the stretch. “We found that three to four piers can be built without blocking traffic through the road and without shifting the traders for now,” a TRDCL official said.
To the relief of the TRDCL and the Kerala Road Fund Board that oversees the CRIP, the Kerala Water Authority has officially informed them that the waterline underneath the road is defunct. Project officials say they can go ahead with the construction of the flyover from next week itself. The TRDCL has decided to move the machinery to the site to commence piling work.
Reason for delay
The flyover at Mele Pazhavangady is the second to be taken up under the CRIP and is almost of the same length as the one at Bakery Junction. The delay in shifting the traders in the locality had held up the work. Project officials said it would take a minimum of two years to complete the work, provided there was no further hitch. As in the Bakery Junction flyover, there will be full-length grade separators at Mele Pazhavangady. There will be 13 piers and the width of the flyover will be 12 metres.
It will be a three-lane bi-directional road. The road from Pazhavangady to Power House via Central Theatre is to be soon barricaded for constructing temporary sheds for the traders who are to be displaced. The TRDCL had received a directive to barricade the road that was being used by those proceeding to Chala, Killipalam, and Karamana from East Fort and Overbridge.
TRIDA scheme
The Thiruvananthapuram Development Authority (TRIDA) had already announced a scheme to construct a bus stand-cum-shopping-complex on the compound of Government Central School, Attakulangara. The 56 traders who will be displaced will also be rehabilitated here.
The flyover will be part of the first Intermediate Ring Road which passes through Vellayambalam Junction, Thycaud, Choorakattupalayam, Power House Road, Thakaraparambu Road, Vazhapalli, Pettah, Nalumukku, Kannammoola, Law College, PMG, LMS, and Museum Junction. The flyovers and underpass at Palayam are the major components of the CRIP, which is aimed at ensuring an uninterrupted flow of traffic along the RR Lamp-Attakulangara corridor.
