KOCHI: Unplanned work in the Thrissur-Angamaly section of NH-544 and along the MC Road in Muvattupuzha town, have hit airport travellers the most as they are forced to spend long hours in traffic blocks, which upsets their travel schedules.
The same has resulted in a clamour for more train services, especially with the heavy rush anticipated during the upcoming Onam festival.
Monday was no different, as a serpentine queue of vehicles could be seen at Muringoor near Chalakudi and Amballur near the Paliyekkara toll plaza during the morning peak hour in both Thrissur and Ernakulam directions. Additional police personnel were deployed at these key choke points as the cops diverted vehicles, except the heavy ones, to interior by-routes at least at three places.
Travellers rued that the journey in the Thrissur-Athani (airport) section still took them well over three hours, instead of the usual one-and-a-half hours.
The vehicles were asked to take detours from before Amballur Junction (via Kalloor-Varandarappilly-Pudukad) and Muringoor (via Kadukutty and Athani) to ease the traffic congestion on the highway, mainly caused by pothole-riddled service roads where construction of underpasses are progressing.
Cops also diverted small and medium-sized vehicles heading to Ernakulam via the Ashtamichira-Mala route from Potta. “Vehicles are being diverted through alternative roads. But what will be a better solution to the gridlock will be the deployment of additional Express Special (Unreserved), especially in the Thrissur-Ernakulam section.
At least two special services during the peak hours should be deployed on a war footing. It now takes over three hours to cover the stretch that we used to travel in 1.5 hours,” said Ramesh Mathew, a frequent traveller.
The construction of underpasses is progressing at Amballur, Perambra, Muringoor and Chirangara. The construction agency employed by NHAI commenced works without taking sufficient preparatory measures like widening and tarring of service roads.
Except for the Perambra section, the service roads at the three other locations are in a dilapidated condition. Though the agency carried out a temporary pothole-filling exercise, the same didn’t last even a day due to high vehicle density and heavy downpour.
Muvattupuzha clogged
Meanwhile, hundreds of commuters passing through Muvattupuzha along the MC Road were affected for the second day on a trot after the new Kacherithazham bridge was closed on Monday as well to facilitate the filling up of a huge crater formed near the bridge last week.
The repair works initially failed, after more earth caved in during the filling up exercise. Following this, the bridge was closed on Sunday morning to facilitate metal sheet piling to a depth of 27 m.
“The traffic through the new bridge was halted to facilitate piling works and also to prevent any damage to the approach roads. We’re confident of arresting the washout after the work. Further works will be carried out on the directions of experts from the Kerala Highway Research Institute,” a senior Kerala Road Fund Board official said.
The traffic flow through the MC Road along the stretch has been severely affected with the closure of the bridge. Only one-way traffic is allowed through the old bridge in the middle of the town. Motorists are forced to wait for long hours to navigate the bottleneck.
“I was travelling to the Muvattupuzha General Hospital, and our bus reached the town entrance at 9 am. But it took an hour to travel another two kms from Velloorkunnam Junction to the hospital,” said Durga K S, a hospital staffer who travels daily from Ernakulam.
“Hundreds of travellers, including those heading to the airport, depend on MC Road. I fear a situation where some couldn’t make it to the airport on time and end up missing the flights. Hence, I urge the travellers to avoid the town during their journey and take alternative routes,” Muvattupuzha MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan said.