KOCHI: It was a frequent accident spot until recently, with huge container trucks coming from the Vypeen side cutting across the Vallarpadam junction to enter the International Container Transhipment Terminal (ICTT). However, motorists and local residents can now heave a sigh of relief, thanks to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) laying a new 100-metre-long service road and widening the main Goshree road.
“The service road will enable the trucks to enter the container terminal without cutting across the road. The vehicles can now take a U-turn below the Goshree bridge and enter the terminal, without affecting the traffic flow along the main road,” a senior NHAI official told TNIE.
Earlier, Vallarpadam residents, including autorickshaw drivers, had approached the NHAI, which promptly took the measure to include the laying of the new service road as part of a `100-crore project to give a major makeover to the 17.12-km-long Container Road, linking Kalamassery with the ICTT.
“Earlier, a lot of mishaps were happening there as speeding vehicles would be caught unawares when container trucks cut across suddenly. The road was narrow too. Now, they have resolved the issue by widening the stretch and laying the new service road,” said Babu K A, a local resident and a headload worker.
Meanwhile, the NHAI has hastened up the project that includes the installation of 1,106 streetlights, setting up of four dedicated truck lay-bys, relaying of the entire stretch and strengthening of 11 bridges. This comes even as the motor vehicles department (MVD) plans to divert heavy trucks travelling to and from the Vyttila side through the Container Road to decongest Edapally Junction and a section of NH 544. A new traffic arrangement has been effected at Edapally and the diversion of trucks to Cheranalloor, and in turn to the Container Road, is crucial for the success of the traffic plan.
“We’ve given preference to the renovation of the bridges and the work like BC (bituminous concrete) overlay, which will be completed soon. The whole project, though, will take a year to be fully implemented,” the NHAI official pointed out.
All 11 bridges on the stretch are being strengthened for smooth traffic flow by uplifting the deck, he said. “The activities also include replacement of bearings and expansion joints, repair of cracks/damage, and relaying of the approach roads. The work relating to two of the bridges is over,” the official added.
Initial rectification work, such as the fixing of guard stones and W-beam crash barrier and embankment and shoulder repair have also been completed. The installation of streetlights and mast lights with LeD systems too has been taken up on the entire stretch. Work on the project had commenced on April 5.
Earlier, the High Court had asked the state government to take measures to make the stretch safer for vehicular traffic after a spate of fatal mishaps were reported.
The main issues identified then were the illegal parking of container lorries on the roadside and the absence of streetlights. The NHAI had come under fire for its failure to provide essential infrastructure on the stretch despite collecting a hefty toll. This is the first major “strengthening and improvement work” since the highway corridor was commissioned in 2015.