Acute traffic hold-ups and traffic diversion hassles along the Aroor-Thuravur NH 66 corridor, where a 13-km elevated highway is being built, are a reminder of the precautions that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) ought to take when a similar structure is built in the Edappally-Aroor NH 66 Bypass corridor, say motorists.
Motorists have been citing the inordinate delay in black-topping the congested Aroor-Thuravur NH stretch and in relocating electric posts and other utilities from roads through which vehicles are being diverted as among the reasons for the chaos on the corridor ever since barricades were put up at frequent intervals to construct the six-lane elevated highway. Regular passengers said widening the bell-mouth of junctions would help streamline vehicles, including by providing smooth access to diversion roads.
Ernakulam District Residents’ Associations Apex Council (EDRAAC) secretary D.G. Suresh said the NHAI should have taken measures to do end-to-end black-topping or paver-block or concrete surfacing of the entire width of the NH stretch well in advance, to avoid the prevailing chaos. “The agency must work in tandem with other agencies concerned to avert a similar chaotic situation on the 16-km Edappally-Aroor NH 66 Bypass stretch, when work begins in early 2024 for the northward-extension of the elevated highway. It must take a cue from KMRL and DMRC which made optimal use of road width, and also developed diversion corridors, prior to barricading arterial roads for Kochi metro’s viaduct construction,” he said.
The stretch is one of the busiest in Kerala and is already notorious for traffic snarls, slow-moving traffic and accidents. This is apart from the difficulties faced by pedestrians in safely crossing the road.
“Prior to commencing piling for the proposed six-lane elevated highway, the NHAI which owns the Edappally-Aroor stretch must ideally add the wide service roads and drains to the main carriageway, so that four-lane traffic is possible at all times during the [three-year] construction stage. It is also duty-bound to remove encroachments and put an end to obstructive parking that has become the norm on service roads,” said Mr. Suresh.
The owner of a bus that operated Vyttila-Vyttila circular service said on condition of anonymity that the NHAI, the Kochi Corporation and the police must take proactive measures to remove hassles to safe and smooth movement of vehicles and pedestrians on the Edappally-Aroor NH Bypass. “Many bus stops are located right in front of roads that join the stretch, creating ‘blind spots’ where accidents are common. Steps must also be taken to end traffic snarls and chaos at the four major junctions and half a dozen other traffic bottlenecks on the corridor. They must rope in the expertise of experts from NATPAC which opened its Kochi regional office earlier this year,” he said.
