KOCHI: City residents, be prepared for traffic restrictions on MG Road soon. The traffic police will shortly come up with a proper action plan for traffic diversion from the busy artery when the construction work of the third reach of Kochi Metro will begin. As the barricading of the stretch between Maharaja's Ground and Jose Junction will further narrow down the traffic from the existing four-lane to two-lane, the police have asked the Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) to commence the work only after Onam holidays.
According to a senior police officer, the barricading of the stretch and implementation of traffic diversion plans during the busy Onam season will unleash chaos on MG Road as it is one of the most prominent commercial hubs in the city. In a meeting held between KMRL authorities and the police here the other day, the Commissioner and other officers concerned had pointed out the practical difficulties in diverting traffic during the Onam season.
Metro construction work from Jose Junction to Thykoodam is expected to be completed in 20 months by March 2019. Construction of the 90-metre-long balanced cantilever concrete span diagonally over the railway lines at the South station - a major structure along the route - is expected to be over by December. “We have reached a consensus at the meeting for beginning the construction activities after Onam. Accordingly, the police will devise an action plan for traffic diversion which will be finalised in a couple of days,” said the officer. However, it is expected the traffic will be mainly diverted through Chittoor Road during the construction phase.
Rescheduling of Metro services
Planning to extend the operations of Kochi Metro till Maharaja’s College by the beginning of October before the FIFA Under-17 World Cup event, KMRL is eyeing the launch of technical tests from Aluva to Maharaja's Ground. “In order to commission this reach, technical tests have to be done on the signalling systems for the complete section from Aluva to Maharaja’s College," said the KMRL spokesperson. In view of stiff targets for commissioning this reach, extended periods of testing are required. Consequently, passenger services of Kochi Metro are being rescheduled to start only from 8 am from August 26 to September 2,” said the spokesperson. The officer said the rescheduling is essential for ensuring the smooth commissioning of the signalling system.