₹1.50-crore project to redevelop Vyttila Junction in Keralam’s Kochi nearing completion

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The newly widened underpass beneath the Vyttila flyover in Kochi. | Photo Credit: THULASI KAKKAT

The ₹1.5 crore project of the Kerala Road Safety Authority (KRSA) to redevelop Vyttila Junction here is nearing completion, with a bulk of works being completed.

The widened and redeveloped portions beneath the Vyttila flyover are being opened to traffic in a phased manner. The redevelopment work is being carried out mainly by dismantling considerable portions of the medians and the roundabout that the Public Works department (NH wing) had built beneath the flyover.

A senior traffic police official said that 80% of the junction redevelopment work was over, while the work to lay paver blocks on the south-eastern side of Kaniampuzha Road (that leads to the Vyttila Mobility Hub) was under way. “The paving work has been delayed due to rain. On its part, Keltron ought to relocate traffic signal posts towards the extreme ends of the freshly developed carriageways on different sides of the junction,” the official said.

Portions of a few more medians at the junction ought to be dismantled. Formal diversion of traffic through the redeveloped parts of the carriageway would be implemented once the works are completed. Furthermore, a dedicated bus bay to park four buses at a time would be readied on the south-western side of the junction, once the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) completes its drainage works. Barricades would be erected to demarcate the bus bay and to prevent buses being parked elsewhere for passengers from the Aroor side to alight.

On its part, the Kochi Corporation ought to clear encroachments from the bellmouth of S.A. Road and add the area to the carriageway to enable vehicles from the Aroor side to take free-left turn towards the road, he added.

Uma Thomas, Thrikkakara MLA, attributed the delay in completing the redevelopment work to the delay in relocating utility cables and traffic signal posts. “Post redevelopment, efforts will be made to bring about a signal-free junction to further streamline traffic. For this, the help of NATPAC would be sought, if needed,” she said.

Social activist Shamier Abdulla cited the need for a signal-free junction, considering that Vyttila is considered the biggest and busiest junction in Kerala. “This would in turn also enable smooth entry and exit of vehicles from the Vyttila Mobility Hub. In addition, steps must be taken to park inter-State buses at the hub, rather than on the western side of the junction,” he said.

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