The absence of a proper traffic management plan on the premises of the Kozhikode railway station has come as a big headache for passengers who seek a trouble-free entry to the station through the main gate.
Heavy and light motor vehicles coming simultaneously from the Meenchanda side and through the Railway Station Link Road literally choke the main gate and terrorize the passengers who queue up for their turn to enter the station from the Link road side.
Though the police recently introduced some changes in the entry and exit points for vehicles coming to the station, they miserably failed to address the recurring blocks in front of the station. The one-way system recently introduced to prevent the entry of vehicles from S.M. Street too doubled the confusions further, especially for the newcomers.
“There should be a little more wide and easy-to-access passage at the frontage that can be used for the straight entry of vehicles from the Link road to the railway station. Now, the ‘T’ junction right in front of the railway station is remaining crowded only because of the lack of such an entrance,” says T.C. Ramakrishnan, who has experienced the trouble several times during his journey. The police should think of constructing a traffic island at the junction, which would help them streamline the traffic, he says.
People who come to the railway station also demand that the entrance and exit should be relocated to a more convenient location to facilitate easy access.
“The zigzag run of autorickshaws in the station compound has to be controlled first. Very often, the narrow gates get blocked with their reckless drive,” says Arun Joseph, a resident of Meenchanda. The unwanted medians and boards should be removed from the railway station compound as they create obstructions in the already limited space, he adds.
Responding to the issue, Traffic police officials said there would be better arrangements in the days to come with the improvement of the railway station’s facilities to world-class level. Narrow roads leading to the station are the biggest hurdle in considering any quick solution, but efforts are on to alleviate the passengers’ trouble, they said.
