The double rotary flyover that is coming up at NAD Kotha Road, is no doubt going to be a boon to motorists in the city. But it poses a huge challenge to the traffic police during the construction phase.
On an average about 8,000 to 10,000 vehicles of different capacities pass through junction per hour on a daily basis and during peak hours it even climbs to 15,000, and managing this heavy movement is a challenge that the traffic police have on hand.
The time given to complete the flyover is between 18 and 24 months and the traffic policemen are hoping that it will be completed within the stipulated time.
“A minor delay will pose a lot of problem. We faced a Herculean task during the construction of the GVMC Flyover at Asilmetta, as it was delayed abnormally due to a number of reasons such as land acquisition and funding issues,” said a senior police officer.
The GVMC flyover was conceived as JNNURM project in 2002 and the construction started in 2008-09 and was completed in 2013.
Plan in place
The double rotary flyover that is being built at a cost of ₹113 crore at the NAD Junction is scheduled to be completed within 24 months. And for the 24 months, the traffic police wing is working on a draft plan to manage the traffic.
As per the plan, all heavy traffic from Vizianagaram to Anakapalle will be diverted at Thatichetlapalem to Convent Junction via Ramamurthi Pantulapeta flyover and will join the NH at Sheelanagar after passing through the new VPT-HPCL road.
And similarly, traffic from Anakapalle will be diverted at Sheelanagar to follow the same route to join the NH at Thatchetlapalem.
Coming to passenger vehicles, the vehicles will be diverted at Thatichetlapalem and will touch Kancharapalem and Marripalem and join the NH after taking a free left at NAD Junction to Gajuwaka.
Motorists from Pendurthi and Gopalapatnam, who wish to come to the city, will have to use the BRTS- Arilova route and the same will be the case for motorists from the city to Pendurthi or Gopalapatnam, said Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) K. Mahendra Patrudu.
We are also working on getting the road through NSTL sanctioned before the construction work begins. The road is to be sanctioned by the Ministry of Defence and we are awaiting the nod. If the road is sanctioned then motorists, especially of two-wheelers and cars, can pass through the NSTL road and take a free left to the city, said Mr. Patrudu.
People travelling from Pendurthi and Gopalapatnam side to Gajuwaka might have to use the Narava route to Sheelanagar. But these are all proposals and needs to be cleared, he added.
But after the construction of the double rotary flyover, a much bigger challenge awaits in the form of the metro rail. A few of the senior police officers feel that the metro rail project, though it is still in the nascent stage, will face problem due to the flyover.
The proposed project is on the same route and the height of the flyover might be a hindrance for the metro rail.
