Vyttila choked by traffic snarls as lorry breaks down

Police to register case, impose hefty fine on truck operator

The huge pile-up of vehicles at the Vyttila overbridge on Monday morning after a lorry broke down on the road. | Photo Credit: Vibhu H.

A massive traffic snarl engulfed the Vyttila Junction and roads leading to it on Monday morning after two tyres of a multi-axle lorry burst when it was crossing the overbridge, reportedly due to overloading.

This caused a serpentine traffic snarl extending up to Thykoodam on the western side of the NH Bypass, resulting in traffic hold-ups on the other roads that lead to Vyttila junction as well.

Vyttila is the biggest junction in Kerala, which is used by well over 1 lakh passenger car units daily.

A senior official of the City Traffic Police (East) said the problem caused by twin tyres bursting was compounded by the fact that the 12-wheeler lorry did not have a spare tyre. Another lorry had to come from the opposite side with tyres, following which the burst tyres were replaced.

The bridge has only two-lane width, while vehicles converge at it in five lanes - three lanes from the adjacent flyover and in two lanes from its service road. The incident effectively choked five lanes of vehicles in the Aroor-Palarivattom direction alone.

Cases will be registered against the lorry operator and the driver for not having the mandatory spare tyres. Instructions have also been given to weigh the lorry to assess the extent of overloading. A hefty fine will be imposed, considering the negligent attitude of the lorry operator and its impact on thousands of commuters who were held up at the junction from 8 a.m. for over an hour, he said.