Bringing cheer to the residents of Attingal and road users of the NH-66, the proposed road widening of the 3-km stretch from Poovanpara to Moonnumukku will soon get under way.
The preliminary activity of demarcating the boundary prior to the commencement of the work has been completed. The project is expected to ease the traffic congestion in Attingal town. The NH-66 stretch is considered to be a major traffic bottleneck with police personnel struggling to regulate traffic and even ensure the smooth passage of ambulances.
The existing two-lane carriageway will be widened as a four-lane road having a total width of 20 metres.
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An amount of Rs.22.75 crore has been sanctioned by the government for the project that is being planned on the basis of a study conducted by the National Transportation Planning and Research Centre (Natpac) to assess various problems including the frequency of traffic snarls as well as the possibilities of accidents along the road stretch.
Inadequate carriageway width for vehicular traffic, particularly at the intersections, was found to be the prime cause of traffic congestions in the region.
The study estimated that close to 3,000 vehicles, including 1,260 cars and 1,274 two-vehicles, pass the three-arm junction during the peak hours. Over 3,200 pedestrians also move along the road on an average every day, as per the study.
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In a first-of-its-kind in the State, the project is being undertaken with many residents surrendering their land free of cost.
The Attingal municipality has also allotted free land for the road widening. Official sources said efforts had been made to ensure that the process of land acquisition progressed well.
Plots that came under various government establishments will also be transferred for the project. A meeting convened by the District Collector will soon be called to review the land acquisition process.
According to Attingal municipality chairperson S. Kumari, nearly 80 traders will be affected by way of the road development. They will be provided exemptions in the norms for building construction, she said.
Drains will be constructed along the 3-km stretch and separate arrangements will be put in place for utility cables and pipelines. This will ensure that the road remains undisturbed during pipe-laying and other related activities.