New traffic management plans to ease blocks in Kakkanad

KOCHI: Residents in Kakkanad can breath a sigh of relief from traffic blocks as the District Collector K Muhammad Y Safirulla on Tuesday held a meeting with the PWD, police and Motor Vehicles Department representatives for altering the traffic system, to reduce the traffic snarl at Kakkanad.A statement from the District Information Office, Ernakulam, said one-way traffic would be adopted at various parts of Kakkanad.

To ease the movement of vehicles towards the PWD Road and Seaport-Airport Road, the authorities are considering introducing one-way traffic from Olimugal Junction to the road in front of the KSFE office.
The vehicles from Kakkanad to Ernakulam will be redirected through Seaport-Airport Road-Olimugal Junction and NGO Quarters. The median will be re-arranged for vehicles from Tripunithura going toward Ernakulam through Kakkanad Traffic Signal Junction. The road will be widened so that vehicles from Tripunithura can take free-left towards Ernakulam with ease. A signal system will be introduced at Infopark road which connects to the Seaport-Airport Road.

To reduce traffic at the Padamughal Junction, a decision has been taken to construct a median at the road stretch from Padamughal school to Kunnumpuram Junction. A roundabout will be constructed at Kunnumpuram Junction.The authorities are considering traffic regulation by directing vehicles from Palachuvadu to take a left turn from the roundabout and then take another right turn from Padamughal school to reach Kakkanad.

Similarly, there are also plans to re-direct the vehicles from Palachuvadu to Ernakulam through Kunnumpuram. The vehicles passing through Kakkanad will have to circle the Collectorate to proceed towards other destinations.

The District Collector has asked authorities to conduct proper studies before implementing the one-way traffic system.The district administration has given direction to the police and the PWD to evict encroachments from the roadside in Kakkanad.