KOCHI: After controversy erupted over the closure of a section of the Queen’s Walkway early morning to offer space for walkers and joggers, the Kochi police have revoked the Ernakulam Traffic West assistant commissioner’s decision that had been in force for the past three days. The residents in the area had raised objections to the move, complaining that children were forced to cross the road to board school vehicles as one portion of the Queen’s Walkway remained blocked from 5am to 7.30am. The restriction was enforced to cater to the interests of ACP Vinod Pillai, the local residents alleged.
“It is true that the Queen’s Walkway is one of the most beautiful places for people to walk and jog, and we are not opposed to stopping vehicles for the same. But the police are not allowing even emergency vehicles and school buses to use the stretch. That has caused an inconvenience to the residents,” said Dr Elizabeth George, who lives in a flat adjacent to the walkway.
The move put the lives of children at risk, she pointed out. “It was after a long-standing demand that school buses started coming this way to pick our children. But with the new decision, we feared they would stop coming on this route. More importantly, it was putting the lives of children in danger as they were forced to cross the road with vehicles moving in either direction,” she added.
Though the police had closed the road on Saturdays and Sundays to enable cyclists and joggers to use the stretch, the local residents said the police had started blocking the road using barricades on other days as well.“Several residents of the adjacent apartments are doctors. They are forced to take a longer route to reach the hospital in the morning,” said a local resident.When queried on the controversy, DCP V U Kuriakose said the police had decided to restrict traffic in the morning hours based on the request of some residents.
Police block road with barricades, public fumes
Though the police had closed the road on Saturdays and Sundays to enable cyclists and joggers to use the stretch, the local residents said they had started blocking the road using barricades on other days as well.