Kochi: Open house suggests effective use of pocket roads to decongest Vyttila

KOCHI: The development of Bund Road, Vyttila Underpass and restoration of pocket roads were the major recommendations put forth by the general public and people's representatives at the open house held at the District Collectorate here on Monday. The open forum was organised to garner general opinion to chalk out a proper traffic diversion plan to resolve the issues in connection with the ongoing construction work of the Vyttila Flyover.

In the Open House discussions, the representatives of merchant's associations and other stakeholders in the city's development said all the major pocket roads through which traffic will be diverted should be remodelled to facilitate the free flow of traffic.

"Only one-way traffic should be allowed through the pocket roads because most of them are too narrow to enable two-lane traffic. The authorities concerned should devise a plan to help commuters avoid passing through Vyttila junction to reach their destinations. For that purpose, parallel roads and pocket roads should be used effectively," they said.

Another major recommendation put forth at the meet was in connection with the Ponnurunni RoB. "The U-Turn near the Ponnurunni RoB is causing heavy traffic congestion in the area. The U-Turn should be repositioned at least 25 metre after the landing portion of the RoB. Moreover, the underpass at Vyttila should be widened. The existing underpass is narrow and it is difficult for buses and other vehicles to move freely through that. The existing barricades erected for the work should be rearranged so as to give more width to the NH," the people's representatives who took part in the discussions opined.

The Bund Road and Eroor-Vennala-Palarivattom Road should be widened so as to ease the traffic congestion, it was suggested. "Signages should be installed at various places to help long-distance commuters. This will help them in skipping Vyttila junction and take a deviation to the pocket roads. Another issue that needs to be addressed is to prevent vehicles blocking free left at signals.

Only long-distance buses should be allowed to enter the hub, otherwise, the exit point of the hub will see traffic snarls. The long-distance buses to Ernakulam should be deviated from Aroor to Thoppumpady to reach Ernakulam KSRTC station. The service road and main road at the Vytilla junction (from the Kundannoor side) should be resurfaced to maintain the same height," added the participants.

The open house also put forth a proposal for constructing a bridge connecting Vyttila Hub and Kunnara Park as a permanent solution to end the traffic chaos at Vyttila. The vehicles from Tripunithura can also be diverted through Mathur bridge. The vehicles coming from Edappally to reach Thammanam and Kathrikadavu would enter the Ayish Road from the Bypass.

The open house also criticised the snail's pace at which the work of the Vyttila Flyover was progressing. The authorities concerned however, said that 22 per cent of the work is already completed. "Out of the total of 140 piles, 76 are already completed," said the officers.

The total cost of the flyover, including the approach roads, is estimated at Rs 78.36 crore.

The work is being undertaken by Thiruvananthapuram-based Sree Dhanya constructions. The bridge will begin from the old railway overbridge at Vyttila and will go in a unilateral direction through the NH and will land near the Shiva temple. The length of the bridge will be 702.41 metres.

The solution

Devise a plan to help commuters avoid passing through Vyttila junction to reach their destinations. For that purpose, parallel roads and pocket roads should be used effectively
U-Turn near the Ponnurunni RoB to be repositioned at least 25 metre after the landing
The underpass at Vyttila The Bund Road and Eroor-Vennala-Palarivattom Road should be widened
Prevent vehicles blocking free left at signals