THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a bid to reduce the traffic chaos at East Fort, the state government has proposed the construction of a new flyover from East Fort to Manacaud. The government has appointed Roads and Bridges Development Corporation of Kerala Ltd (RBDCK) as Special Purpose Vehicle for the project.
The fund for the project has been allocated by Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB). The total cost of the project is estimated at Rs 30 crore.
However, the exact cost could be evaluated only after completing the initial proceedings, including a topographical survey for the project. The preparation of Detailed Project Report (DPR) has begun and it is expected to be completed in three months.
RBDCK has also entrusted a private firm, EI Technologies based in Bengaluru, as a consultant to study and prepare the project report. Once the report is completed, RBDCK will submit it before the KIIFB for approval. The tender proceedings will begin once the project gets the approval.
According to senior officials of RBDCK, the survey process would begin within a month.
“We have visited the location two weeks ago. The flyover is proposed from the congested East Fort to Manacaud. But, we are yet to formulate the alignment as it can be done only after completing the survey process. We will also identify the land to be acquired. We are expected to start the survey within a month”, said Midhun Joseph, project manager, RBDCK.
Two weeks ago, V S Sivakumar MLA also visited Attakulangara junction along with the officials to speed up the initial proceedings of the project. Meanwhile, the trading community of East Fort and Attakulangara expressed concerns about the land acquisition proceedings.
“We are not against any development. But the government should construct the flyover without causing harm to the traders at East Fort and Attakulangara. Moreover, the government should not delay the completion of the project like Thakaraparampu and Bakery junction flyover project. The delay will also cause harm to our business as the location could be plagued with dust and debris”, said Abdul Rahman, an owner of a restaurant at Attakulangara.
The government had come up with several proposals earlier to ease the traffic at East Fort. That included the extension of median construction of an additional bus bay and eviction of street side vendors. But the situation remains the same.
For the safety of pedestrians, the city corporation had proposed a foot over bridge. But that project too remains on paper after the heritage department kept it on hold due to the proximity to the Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple.
The East Fort quagmire
The government had come up with several proposals earlier to ease the traffic at East Fort. That included the extension of median construction of an additional bus bay and eviction of street side vendors. But the situation remains the same. For the safety of pedestrians, the city corporation had proposed a foot over bridge. But, that project too remains on paper after the heritage department kept it on hold due to its proximity to the Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple.