THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Uncertainty looms large over the construction of the proposed service bridge at NH-66 bypass at Thiruvallam as the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) headquarters in New Delhi has directed its regional office here to rework the detailed project report (DPR) in such a way that the toll revenue leakage can be avoided.
The NHAI regional office submitted the DPR last month. As per the direction from New Delhi, the new service road bridge should be redesigned so that the people shall pay the toll after using it. The toll plaza is located hardly 200 metres away in Kovalam direction from Thiruvallam junction.
However, sources close to the NHAI regional office said the new service bridge cannot be constructed by avoiding the toll revenue leakage. "In the present circumstances, we cannot construct the bridge in such a way that the people travelling through it have to pay the toll. We are reworking the DPR. Once it gets approved, we will further proceedings. We expect the construction to start within three months," said P Pradeep, project director, NHAI.
The NHAI headquarters had proposed a new bridge after demolishing the existing old bridge. Earlier, its regional office had approached the HQ to construct a service road without demolishing the old one.
As per the plan, the new service bridge was for motorists coming from Ambalathara to Thiruvallam and Pachalloor while the old bridge would be the main carriage way of the NH bypass. If the project is redesigned, the estimated cost of the project will also be revised.
Earlier, the NHAI had met with the road safety consultant, National Transport and Research Centre, to prepare the estimate. The authority can start the initial proceedings, including the design of the service bridge, only after getting the estimate. Recently, Public Works Minister PA Mohamed Riyas had visited the spot and urged the NHAI to construct a new bridge on a war footing.
The service bridge is expected to prevent frequent accidents due to one-way rule violations by motorists near the Thiruvallam Parasurama temple. Thiruvallam junction is one of the busiest in Thiruvananthapuram, with vehicles travelling towards Kovalam, Pachalloor and East Fort or Ambalathara passing through the junction.
Motorists from Pachalloor and Kovalam who use the old bridge to enter Ambalathara often collide with those coming from Kumarichantha.
As per the statistics available with the police, 20 accidents had occurred on the old bridge in the past three years. Motorists from Kovalam should take a U-turn at Kumarichantha signal if they want to enter Thiruvallam junction.
But those going to Ambalathara or Pachalloor prefer the U-turn on the NH. This is dangerous for both the commuters and those coming from Kumarichantha.The construction of a new service road will help the motorists from Ambalathara side reach Thiruvallam junction without entering the old bridge.