In a lighter vein, the ride through the barely 200-metre stretch under the upcoming Panniyankara Railway overbridge could be compared to a voyage. The vehicles tilt from one side to the other quite often as if they are gliding on waves, but a tad more rough, for it is potholes, not waves, that they are gliding on.
Work progressing
It has been only a few months since work on the overbridge began and it is progressing at a steady pace. But, until the time it is completed, the motorists are forced to bear with the pathetic service roads on both sides of the bridge, more so on the western side.
The slow pace of the traffic on the stretch due to the potholes often result in long traffic blocks, especially during peak hours.
Motion moved
“I often travel through the stretch by bus and am often at least half-an-hour late when I arrive at my destination,” said Ponnath Shaima, the Corporation councillor representing the Marad ward, who, pained by the condition of the road, introduced the issue as a motion at the Council meeting last week. “Some levelling was done last week. But it does not help much,” she said, enumerating the number of meetings she missed due to the traffic blocks at Panniyankara.
Her motion was passed unanimously at the Council, which suggested that the State government find a solution to the issue, as the stretch fell under the jurisdiction of the Public Works Department.
Temporary steps
“There is no point repairing the road when the work on the bridge is yet to be completed. But some temporary steps could be taken to alleviate the problem faced by motorists,” Ms. Shaima said.
Public Works Standing Committee chairperson T.V. Lalithaprabha also said that the Council had requested the State government to speed up work on the flyover.
