KOCHI: Diverting traffic through the narrow underpass at Vyttila will be a herculean task for the traffic police once the construction of the proposed flyover at Vyttila begins. Vehicles are supposed to be diverted through the existing underpass which is hardly 3.5 metres wide. The PWD authorities had already clarified it would not be constructing the underpass. The NOC was given only for the construction of the flyover and the development of the underpass is not on the PWD agenda.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the city’s development said they are more worried about the traffic diversion plan than the design of the flyover. “Government should have invited top traffic and urban planners to work on the design as well as the traffic diversion plan and the sub-road development scheme,” said S Gopakumar, president, Better Kochi Response Group.
BKRG had proposed a total solution for the Vyttila flyover and the surrounding traffic. “By working on two underpasses, the traffic coming from any road to any direction can move continuously. A central area for car parking, small shops and food court is given in our proposal. The design has an underground pedestrian crossing to reach any point with a skylight at the centre which makes it well lit and safe,” said Gopakumar.
He said, though BKRG - along with various town planners - had submitted the proposal to the government a long time back, nobody bothered to study it. “The flyover construction is going to bring a lot of misery to pedestrians as well as vehicles. While the government is trying various diversions, they should have considered some suggestions we had put forward,” said Gopakumar.
As the traffic diversion plan needs to be implemented only once the construction of the flyover begins, town planners said provisions should be made in the upcoming budget for the development of roads through which traffic will be diverted. “A new road through the Mobility Hub from Kaniyampuzha road to Tripunithura road was proposed in the approved master plan for the Vyttila hub prepared by BKRG. The authorities have conveniently forgotten about this on the present project. The entry of buses to the hub from the Kaniyampuzha road itself is wrong since buses take a right turn cutting traffic. Buses should enter from Tripunithura road and exit to the Kaniyampuzha road,” he said.
Another important task is the finishing of the Bund Road up to NH 66, which will deviate a lot of traffic from Vyttila Junction. The town planners also warn the existing underpass is hardly wide enough to accommodate two cars at a time. “The number of vehicles, especially private vehicles, is increasing by the day. Diverting traffic through the underpass will affect pedestrians too,” Gopakumar said.
KEY SUGGESTIONS BY TOWN PLANNERS
Develop a ring road around Vyttila Junction while the flyover is being constructed
Widen and develop
Paradise Road - from SA Road to Subash Bose Road
RSAC Road - from Kaniyampuzha Road to Vyttila underpass
Janatha Road - from SA Road to Thykoodam Underpass and up to Tripunithura road.
A new road through Mobility Hub from Kaniyampuzha road to Tripunithura road.