KOCHI: If things go as planned, Kochi will soon have another hangout space overlooking the backwaters. This time, at Chilavannoor, where the Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) is set to demolish the Bund Road bridge and build a swanky new one.
Having received the state government’s fund approval of Rs 38.77 crore, KMRL officials are upbeat about the 180m-long bridge and its premises turning into a picturesque stretch akin to the Queen’s Walkway. “We will transform the whole area,” says an official. “There will be pavements with trees, benches, and commercial kiosks.”
Besides the aesthetics aspect, the new bridge with greater elevation will reduce flooding and allow water transport under it, a KMRL official highlights. “We have identified that the current bridge over the Chilavannoor canal is a major cause of flooding,” he explains.
“The new bridge will have a span of 90m (distance between piers), which will help avoid stagnation, and also enable Water Metro boats from Kumbalam and Thevara to steer through to the Elamkulam metro station. Similarly, tourist and transport boat services from Thanneermukkom Bund to Elamkulam via Maradu can also be made possible. Then, perhaps, activities like pedal boating and kayaking can be introduced.” Furthermore, the official adds, KMRL will carry out dredging in the area, and it is hoped that this will bring a permanent solution to waterlogging in the area.
There’s more to cheer…
On the other hand, the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) is working on easing traffic congestion at Vytilla Junction and proposing connectivity from Thykoodam to Thevara via Bund Road. The total estimate of the project is Rs 95 crore. According to sources, the total length of the proposed Chilavannoor Bund road is about 3.5km from Thykoodam on the NH to Thevara Junction.
A review of the existing road network in Kochi shows an incomplete network, with the bulk of the traffic carried by a few major roads. This makes supplementary links to divert traffic load, such as the Bund Road, crucial.Notably, the GCDA had conceived the Chilavannoor Bund Road project during 1998–99 with this objective. However, even after two decades, it still remains on paper.
“About 75 per cent of the road has been formulated, but certain stretches and junctions will need expansion,” says a GCDA official. “About 280 cents of land has to be acquired, and a bridge has to be built across the Thevara-Perandoor (TP) canal. Land acquisition is a hurdle.”
The vital links
REACH 1
This 1.5km stretch from Thykoodam underpass to St Joseph School junction on KP Vallon Road passes through Chilavannoor. The proposed width of the service road from the underpass to the NH bypass is 10m, the bypass to Chilavannoor Road is 15m, and one from Chilavannoor Road to KP Vallon Road is 10m.
REACH 2
1.5km stretch from KP Vallon Road to Thevara
REACH 3
The first and second reaches of Chilavannoor Bund Road meet K P Vallon Road at two points. The reach starting from Thykoodam underpass meets KP Vallon Road at St Joseph School Junction, and the reach to Thevara continues from the point near Pandarachira Junction in KP Vallon Road