Uncertainty looms large over developing alternative roads to divert vehicles, when Civil Line Road and other roads are barricaded prior to commencement of piling in May-end for Kochi Metro’s 11.20-km Kakkanad extension.
Apart from non-allocation of sufficient funds by the State government, the postponement of a stakeholder meeting that had been slated for March 22 in view of the model code of conduct for the Lok Sabha polls has added to the uncertainty.
People’s representatives were all the while banking on Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) to remove traffic bottlenecks and augment safety measures, on roads that took off from Edappally-Vyttila NH Bypass, ran parallel to Civil Line Road and ended in Seaport-Airport Road. The councillor representing Division 46 (Chakkaraparambu) in the Kochi Corporation, K.B. Harshal, said that he along with four other councillors had met KMRL’s MD Loknath Behera and submitted a memorandum, seeking speedy measures to ensure steady flow of vehicles through roads that motorists would use when Civil Line Road is barricaded at over eight-metre width for the metro’s Kakkanad extension.
“He was very positive to our suggestions, following which a KMRL official visited bottlenecked areas, including Vennala High School Junction and Alinchuvadu, where traffic hold-ups are acute. But little has happened, except the relocation of a few posts away from the tarred portion of the road. With KMRL agreeing to install slabs where they were missing and to clear traffic bottlenecks, most councillors gave priority to repairing other roads and drains in their areas. KMRL must urgently clear hurdles from Chakkaraparambu Road, Puthiya Road, Sobha Road, Sreekala Road and the Alinchuvadu-Vennala Road, among others, failing which traffic chaos will prevail, spilling over to NH Bypass, even causing accidents. It must also formally announce a traffic-diversion plan, rather than just install diversion boards,” he said.
It had been reported that most traders and others were willing to surrender the requisite land to enable smooth flow of vehicles, if they were given compensation.
“KMRL ought to have developed diversion roads well in advance. It should also have taken KWA into confidence and developed Pipeline Road as among the diversion roads,” said Secretary of Ernakulam District Residents’ Associations Apex Council (EDRAAC) D.G. Suresh. “It is sad that unlike for metro’s phase-one, the State government has not granted sufficient funds to the metro agency to develop alternative roads. In this situation, it must begin piling only after such roads are developed and bottlenecks are cleared. On his part, the District Collector must coordinate with the agencies concerned and ensure that an effective diversion plan is ready.”
KMRL sources said that they had requested the Collector to help clear encroachments on diversion roads. No-parking boards were being erected, while posts and other structures that obstructed traffic were being relocated, they added.
