THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In an effort to enhance road safety, the Smart City Thiruvananthapuram Ltd (SCTL) has installed green anti-glare median barriers along the smart road from Vellayambalam Junction to Thycaud. The anti-glare barriers are expected to reduce distractions and solve the issue of glare from headlights. However, experts feel that such installations are a distraction to the drivers on city roads.
An official of the Kerala Road Fund Board (KRFB), the custodian of the stretch, said that a similar project was successfully implemented along KRFB roads in Kozhikode. According to officials, in the initial designs, the anti-glare median barriers were not there. “We decided to include it on this stretch because of the good response,” said an official source.
Former managing director of Thiruvananthapuram Road Development Corporation Ltd (TRDCL) - the former concessionaire of the City Road Improvement Project (CRIP) - Anil Kumar Pandala said that anti-glare barriers on city roads are a distraction.
“It could have been better if it prevented pedestrian crossing. The barriers will get destroyed and become an eyesore in the long run owing to pedestrian movement. While designing roads, every element should merge into the design and these barriers will stand out in the overall design of the stretch,” he said, adding that such barriers will be ideal for highways.
Though March 31 is the deadline for winding up the Smart City Mission, the smart road work along the Vellayambalam -Thycaud stretch is likely to be completed only by April 15. An official of KRFB said that the final tarring of the stretch between Norka Roots and Thycaud will be undertaken next week.
“The final layer of tarring has already been laid in the stretch from Vellayambalam to Norka Roots. Sewage work in the stretch is still ongoing and we are hoping to complete the work immediately,” added the official.
After failed attempts, the smart road work along the stretch began back in 2022 and the plan was to complete the project in two phases. Each phase was expected to be completed within three months. However, the project got inordinately delayed causing inconvenience to the public. “The road has been made motorable and there are some finishing works remaining including painting of the median,” said the official.
The Althara-Thycaud stretch is the lone road being upgraded with a cycle track. The authorities are planning to designate the first-ever cycle track in the capital after the completion of tarring. “The cycle track will be designated and it will happen after the completion of tarring work from Norka Roots to Thycaud,” the official added.