The inordinate delay in completing rebuilding of drains and a culvert on service roads at Vyttila has worsened traffic chaos at the junction, which was barricaded in December 2017 for flyover construction work.
The PWD (NH wing) has not readied drains nor the flyover, although the deadline to commission the six-lane flyover expired over a year ago, in May 2019. The busy service road on the Palarivattom side of the junction, used by vehicles proceeding from S.A. Road and Ponnurunni to Thripunithura and Aroor, was trenched over a month ago for laying gas pipelines. The PWD was simultaneously engaged in building drains in the place of drains that were demolished when retention walls were built to support slip roads constructed on the NH Bypass to divert vehicles away from the flyover worksite.
While the pipeline laying work is largely over, commuters and pedestrians expressed their angst at the inordinate delay in completing work on drains, which began over a year ago on the junction’s Palarivattom side. Over one lakh passenger car units (PCUs) cross the junction each day, making it one of the busiest junctions in Kerala.
Businesses hit
Commercial establishments and people living in residential colonies beside the service roads have been severely affected by the delayed construction works and the shoddy manner in which the works are being executed. “Our sale fell by 50% ever since the flyover works began and the junction was barricaded,” said Ajmal V A, MD of Bismi Group, which has an outlet on the service road. “The PWD does not seem to have a clear idea of what to do, so much so that works are taken up all of a sudden and executed in a haphazard manner, throwing traffic movement into disarray. The agency must at least henceforth execute works in a scientific manner. The situation has not improved although we took up the issue with PWD,” Mr. Ajmal added.
A senior PWD engineer said that drain works, which began on the western side of the junction, have now been extended to the eastern side, to prevent waterlogging on service roads. “A pipe culvert has already been made. Drain works will be followed by raising of the road surface using granular sub base and wet mix macadam. The surface will then be covered using concrete paver blocks. The process is expected to get over by mid July.”
Flyover work
He added that efforts were under way to commission both Vyttila and Kundannoor (its deadline expired in March) flyovers at least by August. A retention wall has to be completed on the western side, following which the flyover’s approach on the Palarivattom side will be filled. This will be followed by erection of crash barriers and tar coating.
The Kundannoor flyover adorned headlines a few days ago as policemen volunteered to relay damaged paver blocks of roads on either side, since their pleas to PWD to reset them fell on deaf ears.