With motorists and pedestrians struggling to cross Vyttila, the biggest junction in the State, civic officials, urban planners, and residents’ associations have demanded the rightful due for the fast-developing area which also has a mobility hub, in the Kochi Corporation’s master plan.
This comes especially in the wake of the six-lane flyover built here by the PWD (NH wing) failing to decongest the junction, while at the same time adding to chaos on all four sides. A draft of the long-awaited master plan had been placed before the Corporation council in October, the final of which is expected to be readied in mid-2023 after further stakeholder consultations.
Wondering why little was taking place at the ground level to decongest Vyttila and roads leading to the junction, Ajith Kumar, general secretary of Ernakulam District Residents Associations’ Apex Council (EDRAAC) cited the urgent need for the inclusion of foot overbridges and a pedestrian underpass on the southern side of the junction to prevent pedestrian deaths in accidents. “Civic officials must prevail upon the National Highways Authority of India [NHAI] which owned the NH bypass to realise this and also a wider underpass beneath the Vyttila railway overbridge. On its part, the PWD must widen Kaniampuzha Road which leads to the Vyttila Mobility Hub (VMH) and Eroor. Officials of VMH Society must be pulled up for the stalemate over the hub’s second phase development work since this and the junction’s development should go hand-in-hand,” he added.
He expressed dismay at the NHAI, PWD, and the Corporation doing little to ready wide and encroachment-free footpaths at the junction since it is a herculean task for elderly people, women and children to even walk through the junction.
Sunita Dixon, the councillor representing Vyttila Division in the Kochi Corporation, said the draft master plan was notably silent on augmenting infrastructure at Vyttila and nearby areas. “Considerable damage has already been caused by departments working at cross purposes with each other. I hope at least the final master plan will have tangible projects to make optimal use of Subhash Bose Road that runs parallel to SA Road since its carriageway has become a parking area, while footpaths have been encroached upon,” she said. “I registered my protest at the council mentioning all this. The assurance that zone-level meetings will be held to redress such issues is yet to materialise. The draft master plan has also not given rightful attention to developing Chilavannur Bund Road, whereas the emphasis is on developing the central business district comprising MG Road and Bannerjee Road,” Ms. Dixon added.
Meanwhile, Mayor M. Anilkumar said the concerns would be addressed when the final master plan is readied by mid-2023. The opinion of agencies like the NHAI and the PWD too will be heard before finalising it.
