Vyttila decongestion plan banks on free left turns
KOCHI: A new traffic arrangement plan, involving creation of free left turns and doing away with the traffic signal, will be implemented to decongest the busy Vyttila junction where serpentine queues of vehicles is a regular affair.
On Tuesday evening, a high-level delegation led by Transport Minister K B Ganesh Kumar visited the busiest junction in the state to study the traffic issue and work out a new plan.
The minister was accompanied by Transport Commissioner Nagaraju Chakilam, Special Secretary (Transport) P B Nooh, Mayor M Anilkumar, Police Commissioner Putta Vimaladitya, and officials from the MVD, police, PWD, NHAI, and Kochi corporation, among others.
“The traffic issue at Vyttila is complicated. We’ll implement the decongestion plan in two stages. First, we’ll introduce a single-lane traffic flow system in 500-metre sections on the Elamkulam-Vyttila and Thykoodam-Vyttila stretches. This is to facilitate a free left turn for vehicles proceeding to the Palarivattom side from the Elamkulam side,” Ganesh Kumar said.
Later, portions of the traffic island below the flyover at the junction will be scaled. Thus, vehicles coming from the city and proceeding to the Vyttila Hub or the Tripunithura/Alappuzha side can proceed without any hindrance.
Similarly, both sides of the traffic island under the flyover will be chipped off (two metres on each side) to facilitate three-lane traffic towards Palarivattom and Kundannoor from the junction. Currently, only single-lane traffic is possible there.
“If the size of the traffic island is reduced, buses coming from the city can move to the Vyttila Hub directly. To facilitate the same, permission of the authorities concerned, like the NHAI, will be sought. Funds with the Road Safety Authority will be utilised for the purpose,” the minister said.
Another key challenge will be to ensure the free flow of vehicles coming out of the hub and proceeding towards the Tripunithura and Kundannoor sides. Earlier, the transport minister had taken the initiative to implement traffic reform experiments successfully at Kalamassery and Edappally.
Vyttila has over one lakh passenger car units passing through the junction every day. Heavy congestion is witnessed during peak hours, especially on the Sahodaran Ayyappan Road stretch and the road towards Tripunithura.
“An urgent solution is needed as the traffic issue is worsening by the day,” Vyttila councillor Sunitha Dixon said.