KOCHI: The traffic congestion following the Vyttila flyover construction may soon lessen with the District Administration and the police on Sunday coming forward to seek the opinion of the public, including the residents and the commuters, as the existing measures do not seem to help.
Immediate preference would be given to clear the heavy traffic in Vyttila Junction. The existing traffic island will be dismantled and the area nearby will be paved and made suitable for vehicles, officials said.
Immediate steps like drawing zebra lines at suitable places to make it convenient for pedestrians to cross the road would be done under the guidance of the Deputy Commissioner and Assistant Commissioner. The parking in the parallel roads will be stopped with immediate effect. The Motor Vehicles Department and the police will strengthen the patrolling to ensure this.
The meeting presided over by District Collector Muhammad Y Safirulla had NCAI, representatives from the Corporation, residents’ associations and merchants’ associations and other stakeholders in attendance apart from MVD and the police officers. “It has come to our notice the situation is getting bad at Vyttila Junction and the problems will be solved with immediate effect. If we can incorporate the suggestions, we will have a fool-proof plan to deal with the traffic movement in Vyttila during the flyover construction,” said Safirulla.
The signal enforcement will become stringent than before and more police force will be deployed for traffic control and regulation, he said.
The possibility of parallel roads will be examined. The possibility of deviations before the junction will be examined and these parallel roads will be paved and maintenance would be done here to handle a flood of vehicles and implementing a ‘one-way system’ in some of these roads is also under consideration.
The police and MVD will form a committee and take inputs from resident’s associations concerned before the decisions are made. A report on the same is to be submitted within three days.
A possibility of pick-up and drop for multi-axle vehicles in the Vyttila Mobility Hub will also be looked into. The Collector has also asked the MVD to spot the places where the direction/diversion boards could be placed so the vehicles can pass without getting to the Vyttila Junction unaware of the work in progress. Suggestions to build a new road for exiting from the Vyttila Mobility Hub was also made.
The stakeholders also opined the expansion of Ponnurunni underpass would work in favour of regulating the traffic. The stake holders also demanded the moving of the auto stand in Vyttila Junction.
Shameer Abdullah, representative of the Vyttila Junction Vikasana Janakeeya Samiti, has also put forward his suggestions at the meeting, including a possible diversion through Ayesha Road.
“If things go as discussed in the meeting, we are hopeful the heavy traffic in Vyttila can be managed. We all will have to make adjustments, but the more trouble we can do away with, the better,” said Bhaskaran Kuruppath, vice-president, Vyttila Residents’ Association.
Key decisions