In a major relief to Kochiites on New Year's Day, the first phase of the North Railway Overbridge (RoB) was completed on Tuesday with the opening of the side bays of the bridge for traffic. This will help decrease the traffic congestion across the city.
According to police, the traffic block on both ends of the RoB has decreased considerably with the opening of the bridge.
However, the work of the side bridge for the pedestrians was not yet over. Considering the issue, the police opened the old bridge for pedestrians. They said the side bays were opened considering the visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to the city next week.
“The North RoB was opened after the successful trial run conducted last week. The pedestrians will not have any issue as the separate bridge for them will be opened in one or two days. Till then they can pass through the old bridge. The traffic congestion which was seen at the both end of the bridge was absent. The side bays were opened as per the direction of District Collector P I Sheik Pareeth,” Baby Vinod, Traffic Assistant Commissioner, said.
The work for dismantling the old bridge will only start after the visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Pranab Mukherjee to the city next week.
“Since traffic restriction would be imposed in the wake of the visit of the Prime Minister and the President, the dismantling work will start after January 10. The authorities of the Metro Rail project have told us that the entire work of the RoB would be finished in less than one year time,” Baby Vinod said.
The current traffic restriction would continue. Two-wheelers and three-wheelers would not be permitted to enter the RoB from 8.30 am to 8.30 pm. They will continue to pass through Pullepady bridge and Pachalam gate.
District Collector P I Sheik Pareeth expressed satisfaction over the timely completion of the first phase of North RoB.
“The first phase of the construction of the North ROB was completed well beyond the time and the entire work can be finished in next six months.”
He said that the work of the bridge for the pedestrians is over and it will opened next day.
“The bridge for the pedestrians is completed, but since the second phase of construction of the bridge will begin only by January 10, we will permit pedestrians to walk over the old main bridge. The construction of RoB on Salim Rajan road will completed by February second week and it will be opened in the some month,” Sheik Pareeth said.