THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: ‘’Finally!’’ said an official of the Thiruvananthapuram Road Development Company Limited (TRDCL) on Monday. It was in reference to the much-anticipated Thakaraparambu flyover work which is all set to take off on Tuesday, after a long wait. This is the second flyover under the City Road Improvement Project (CRIP), after the Bakery Junction Flyover. The flyover will come up over MG Road connecting Thakaraparambu Road and Power House Road. The work is expected to take a minimum of two years for completion.
According to project director Anil Kumar Pandala, the equipment for the piling works will be shifted to the area on Tuesday. “The work will take off on Tuesday. Currently, vehicular traffic is not blocked along the Power House Road. Vehicles can enter the road through both sides,” he said. The work of Thakaraparambu flyover was stuck for years over the issue of rehabilitation of traders. The location reserved for rehabilitation was acquired by a retail giant, posing a major hurdle.
The hurdle was removed when TRIDA came up with a proposal to renovate the East Fort area. Under the project, the land belonging to the Government Central School, Attakulangara, will be used for construction of bus stands and shopping complexes. TRIDA’s proposal is to shift the displaced traders to the shopping complex. As a temporary arrangement, the traders will be shifted to sheds coming up on the Central Theatre Road.
Thakaraparambu flyover is part of the First Intermediate Ring Road, which passes through Vellayambalam Junction, Thycaud, Choorakattupalayam, Power House Road (access to the southern opening of the Railway Station), Thakaraparambu Road, Vazhapalli, Kavadi Road, Pettah, Naalumukku, Kannammoola, Law College, PMG, LMS and Museum Junction. The flyovers, along with the Palayam Underpass, are considered the major components of the road network development in the city for ensuring efficient and uninterrupted flow of traffic along MG Road.
Central Theatre Road to be closed
A long wait on roads is ahead for the commuters and motorists in Thampanoor, East Fort and Overbridge areas. The Central Theatre road, a busy road along which thousands of vehicles ply to Chalai, Karamana and Killippalam areas, will be closed from Wednesday, when the Thiruvananthapuram Development Authority (TRIDA) will start construction of temporary sheds for traders who need to be rehabilitated for the proposed Thakaraparambu flyover.
TRIDA has already issued notice regarding the closure of the Central Theatre Road. It is planning to construct temporary sheds for the 45 traders who will be displaced for the flyover work to be carried out on the Power House Road. The sheds will come up on the road in front of the Central Theatre by blocking the vehicular traffic.
A group of traders has raised opposition against sheds coming up on the busy road. Once the flyover work progresses, the Power House Road too will be closed. Closure of two major roads is all set to create traffic congestion in the area.