The decades-long demand for a parallel road to S.M. Street, the commercial hub of Kozhikode city, is on the path to be a reality soon, with Mayor Thottathil Raveendran kick-starting the work on the road on Wednesday.
The road is expected to be a huge relief to the merchants as well as customers on S.M. Street, who have been affected by the ban on traffic through the street.
The new road connects the Court Road, an annexe of S.M. Street, to Vaikom Muhammed Basheer Road, another annexe. It runs parallel to at least half of S.M. Street. It will be 5 metre wide, enough for vehicles to pass. The road starts from that part of Court Road opposite Hotel Vasantha Vihar and opens into the gap between the Public Library building and the Khadi Emporium.
The land for the road has been given to the Kozhikode Municipal Corporation by 11 persons free of cost. However, the Corporation will have to acquire a part of the plot of the Khadi Emporium as well to complete the road.