PWD undertakes survey, soil test to widen road

The development of the Thammanam-Pullepady Road into a four-lane road and its extension towards M.G. Road and NH Bypass have received impetus with a survey undertaken by the Pubic Works Department (Roads Wing) to fine-tune its alignment expected to be completed in another fortnight.

The survey by the agency will be followed by consolidation of a report on soil testing that is being done at multiple points in order to widen or rebuild narrow bridges and culverts on the corridor that would augment east-west connectivity in Kochi. After that, the PWD’s project preparation wing will come up with a detailed project report on linking Padma Junction on M.G. Road to Chakkaraparambu on Palarivattom-Vyttila NH Bypass.

The Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) had assured funding to realise the 4-km-long project that would considerably decongest S.A. Road and Banerjee Road, said a senior PWD official.

The Revenue Department will then kick-start the land acquisition process. The land acquisition and construction of the four-lane road are expected to be completed latest by 2023. The project would involve building a two-lane bridge parallel to the Pullepady overbridge, he said.

The inordinate delay of over two decades in widening the road despite dozens of people surrendering their land free of cost had attracted widespread criticism. Commuting through the corridor continues to be a nightmare since the road does not even have two-lane width in most places.

The ongoing survey to fine-tune the road’s alignment and soil-testing work are a prelude to the PWD taking over the road from the Kochi Corporation and developing it into an arterial road, said PWD sources. “Aimed at hastening the PWD takeover of the road, the Corporation had passed a resolution handing over the stretch to the department. The Local Self-Government Department will shortly hand over the stretch to the PWD,” they added.

Expressing satisfaction over the development, P.T. Thomas, Thrikkakakara MLA, said the full potential of the road could be realised if it was extended eastward from Chakkaraparambu to the Seaport-Airport Road.