KOCHI: The much-awaited Vyttila flyover was thrown open for traffic after Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan officially inaugurated it on Saturday. But within hours of its opening, Vyttila junction witnessed the same old story of traffic congestion with vehicles seen moving at a snail’s pace under the flyover and on the flyover.
It seems the worst fears of Kerala Sasthra Sahithya Parishad (KSSP), which predicted that the current flyover plan would be a failure and it will not solve traffic congestion at Vyttila, have come true. KSSP had on August 7, 2017 warned the state government that the construction of a flyover above NH 47 at Vyttila would not solve the traffic congestion.
In a letter sent to Works Minister G Sudhakaran by G Gopinathan of KSSP in August 2017, it was pointed out that the flyover plan being implemented by the government would only ease the movement of vehicles plying between Aroor and Edappally to an extent while the situation would become worse for the vehicles travelling between Tripunithura and Kadavanthra.
“By constructing a flyover on NH 47, the government has committed a major mistake. Now we have a flyover for namesake but it won’t serve any real purpose. In fact, we submitted an alternative plan prepared by KITCO before the government for consideration to permanently solve the traffic congestion at the junction, but the government didn’t even look into it,” Gopinathan told TNIE.He said the flyover will not serve any purpose in ensuring smooth flow of vehicles coming from both east and west.
“As per our plan, the flyover should have been constructed 300 metres away from the NH 47 connecting the point at Power House road where vehicles coming from Tripunithura enter the national highway. The plan also highlighted the need to extend the existing railway overbridge and construct a new underpass. This would have avoided signals for vehicles running between Tripunithura and Kadavanthra. We think only if the government constructs a new underpass and widen the Power House road, the traffic congestion will ease at Vytilla junction,” he added.
Experts have warned that Vyttila flyover and Kundannoor flyover will only aggravate traffic congestion on the stretch between Edappally and Kundannoor because of the rebuilding of Palarivattom flyover.According to George John, Expert Advisor, District Road Safety Council, construction of under passage at Edappally towards Cheranalloor and Palarivattom will only help reduce the traffic congestion.
“During normal times there may not be that much congestion but it will be heavy during peak hour,” said George John.Rajeev Jayadevan, a trainer in Road Safety, said, “A small irregularity to the flow of traffic can make it turbulent and chaotic. A minor obstacle on the stretch can cause a major traffic block.”
Oommen Chandy expresses surprise over govt’s claims
T’Puram: Former chief minister Oommen Chandy has taken a dig at the LDF Government after the launch of Vyttila and Kundannoor flyovers on Saturday. He recalled that the previous UDF Government had launched 245 bridges without any fanfare. Oommen Chandy said he looked at surprise the way the Left Government had opened two flyovers during the fag end of its tenure. He recollected that it was the UDF Government which had prepared the detailed project report and also given the administrative sanction for building Vyttila and Kundannoor flyovers. But still Oommen Chandy welcomed the completion of the flyovers in five years. “After the launch of Metro Rail in Kochi, the previous UDF Government decided to address the traffic issue by bringing in two flyovers in Vyttila and Kundannoor without any toll. Accordingly, the Edappally and Palarivattom flyovers were almost completed during the UDF Government’s tenure”, said Oommen Chandy. He also added that while 70 per cent of the work on Palarivattom flyover was completed by the UDF government, the remaining 30 per cent was completed by LDF govt.
Abrupt entry of vehicles from flyover side roads may cause accidents
Kochi: The opening of Vytilla and Kundannoor flyovers has created new accident spots at both the junctions. At Kundannoor, as the vehicles passing through the side road of the flyover abruptly enter the point where the flyover lands, there is all possibility for an accident. “Normally the side roads along the flyover gradually merge with the main road. But at Kundannoor, the side road through which vehicles enter the NH abruptly merges with the NH. Vehicles coming towards Alappuzha will not be able to see those entering from the side road,” said the driver of a vehicle, who luckily avoided collision of his car at the spot. The situation is no different at Vytilla also. Vehicles speeding through the flyover will not be able to see the vehicles entering the highway from the side road along the flyover. A senior traffic police officer said the police will chalk out a plan to solve the issue.