The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has begun topographic survey to ready detailed project reports (DPRs) for the long-overdue bypass corridors at Muvattupuzha and Kothamangalam.
The aim is to decongest the two congested towns in the suburbs of Kochi. The two DPRs for the bypass corridors, each of which would be approximately six-km long, are expected to be finalised by December, it is learnt.
Among others, the project reports will shed light on the technical and financial viability of the two projects. Land will in most likelihood be acquired at 30-m width, while a two-lane corridor with paved shoulders is more likely in the initial phase. The two bypasses would have been shorter had they been realised earlier. They would be in the range of 5 km to 6 km since both sides of the previous alignment have become considerably built up during the past years.
The NHAI would take a call on the funding pattern, and whether to seek 25% of the land acquisition cost from the State government. This is considering the fact that the compensation for land in Kerala is many times the national average, most often exceeding the cost of constructing roads and bridges for the respective project.
Work on these bypass and ring-road projects that had been mooted for the two towns as early as in the 1990s had not begun in right earnest, despite worsening congestion. This has been attributed to non-allocation of sufficient funds by the State government and hiccups created by vested interests who feared fall in income. It is in this context that the NHAI decided to construct the two critical bypasses which would in turn enable faster access from Ernakulam to the two towns and also to Munnar and Thodupuzha, sources said.
Muvattupuzha choked
While traffic is manageable in Kothamangalam, vehicular congestion is severe in Muvattupuzha - a prominent commercial, agricultural and educational hub in the State. Motorists have been complaining of taking a minimum of 30 minutes to cross Muvattupuzha town, thanks to narrow roads, encroachments, haphazard parking and non-availability of alternative roads. They are often caught in traffic for longer duration, at peak hours.
Kolencherry Bypass
Survey for the first phase of Kolencherry Bypass kickstarted a week before as well. It is being done by the investigation wing of Kerala Public Works department (PWD). The narrow and encroached upon road through Kolencherry town is a major bottleneck in the Ernakulam-Muvattupuzha corridor and traffic hold-ups is the norm for about 2 km.
The approximately 2.50-km portion of the bypass beginning from near the curve at Kazhunilam and ending at Thonnikka would come up parallel to the NH. It would be 23-m wide. Once the survey is over, details like the alignment and curves will be handed over to PWD’s design wing. Stakeholders had demanded a 6-km bypass from Patham Mile on the NH to Nambiarpadi near Kadamattom.
