KOCHI: In a bid to decongest the key Vyttila Junction, a chief secretary-level meeting on Monday deliberated short-term and long-term actions for the same. As a long term measure, it took up the four-lane elevated corridor project linking Vyttila with Chittethukara near Infopark. The moves comes in light of a recent feasibility study by the National Transportation Planning and Research Centre (NATPAC) which found the project “effective” in addressing the traffic congestion woes in the region.
According to sources, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) might be entrusted with the preparation of a detailed project report (DPR) of the five-km long elevated corridor from Vyttila to Chittethukara, with a major portion of it passing over Kaniyampuzha river, once the project is approved. Authorities are also considering introducing a toll in the proposed path to cover the project cost.
The project is proposed along the banks of Kaniyampuzha river to minimise land acquisition. “The initial alignment was through heavily-populated areas and would have resulted in much higher project cost,” said a senior NATPAC official.
He further said, “The project is mooted to start from a point between Vyttila and Chakkaraparambu along the NH-66, instead of the busy Vytilla Junction, and will run till Chittethukara linking it to the Seaport-Airport Road.”
The official pointed out that, “While the Infopark Expressway already links Chittethukara to Infopark, the upcoming Thammanam-Pullepady Road project would connect the city areas till Vyttila. Hence, the elevated corridor aims to link both these roads to facilitate quick and easy travel from the city to the Infopark.”
Currently, the only road that connects the city to Infopark is the heavily congested Civil Lane Road, where the Kochi Metro is implementing the 11.2-km-long Phase II Metro Corridor Project connecting the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium station with Infopark.
“As people coming from the south side find it difficult to proceed to Infopark, the corridor will have a connecting road to Eroor, which will facilitate vehicles to proceed to Tripunithura side quickly without getting caught in traffic congestion. We also target the traffic through congested parallel roads like Thuthiyoor, and Blood Bank roads,” the official added.
Temporary solutions
The meeting also decided to implement temporary measures to decongest the Vyttila Junction. Steps would include scaling portions of the 16-metre roundabout at the junction and chipping off edges of traffic medians there to facilitate direct entry of buses coming from Kundannoor side to the Vyttila Hub through Kaniyampuzha Road.
Vyttila councillor Sunitha Dixon highlighted that the traffic congestion at Vytilla Junction is worsening day-by-day, adding that an urgent solution is needed.
Vyttila is one of the busiest junction in the state with over one lakh passenger car units passing through the junction every day. A serpentine queue of vehicles is witnessed during the morning and evening peak hours.
5-km-long corridor
The five-km-long elevated corridor would connect Vyttila to Chittethukara, with a major portion passing over the Kaniyampuzha river
The four-lane elevated corridor is mooted to start from a point between Vyttila and Chakkaraparambu along the NH-66, and will run till Chittethukara linking it to the Seaport-Airport Road
Project is proposed along banks of Kaniyampuzha river to minimise land acquisition