KOCHI: The annual Mandala pilgrimage season to the revered Sabarimala Ayyappa temple is set to commence in a week, bringing with it the customary massive influx of devotees from across South India. However, this year, the sacred journey threatens to devolve into a chaotic ordeal, thanks to the unfortunate timing and sluggish pace of major road works that are creating severe bottlenecks across Central Kerala.
The convergence of heavy traffic and widespread construction is set to test the patience of pilgrims and local commuters alike.
NH 544 bottleneck at Amballoor
One of the most immediate and critical gridlocks is forecast for the Thrissur-Angamaly section of NH 544, specifically at Amballoor.
“The construction of an underpass here is progressing at a snail’s pace. The work should have been completed before the pilgrimage season began. A heavy traffic congestion is being experienced at Amballoor now.
Neither have they readied any alternative roads nor any traffic diversion plans have been formulated so far. Most of the alternative roads are in a dilapidated condition,” said lawyer-cum-Congress leader Shaji J Kodankandath. He warned that the issue will turn much worse with the impending arrival of vehicles from neighbouring states, highlighting a serious lack of foresight in planning.
A top NHAI official, however, refuted the charges, maintaining that measures are in place. “In Amballoor, the police have identified diversion roads to help ease traffic congestion. Additional traffic marshals have also been deployed, and necessary traffic signboards have been installed,” the official said, placing the responsibility for traffic management squarely on local law enforcement.
Elevated highway woes on NH 66
Further south, the construction of the elevated highway on the 12.75-km-long Aroor-Thuravoor section of NH 66 presents another critical choke point.
“The dilapidated condition of alternative routes—like the Thuravoor-Thycattussery and the Thuravoor-Ezhupunna-Kumbalangi Coastal Road—will force most vehicles onto the main highway, where construction is heavily under way. While a slight, temporary relief has been felt following court intervention, which led to the deployment of traffic wardens and the start of tarring work on marshy stretches, the overall situation remains precarious,” said Sanoob Aziz, a member of the Janakeeya Jagrata Samiti.
Aziz emphasised the need for authorities to “hasten the process before the pilgrimage starts” and to immediately clear construction waste and rebuild roads where work is complete, demanding a war-footing response. Responding to the concerns, a senior NHAI official claimed significant progress, stating, “We’ve already completed 80% of the construction works in the Aroor-Thuravoor section.”
The official promised to complete structural elements like piers by January but shifted blame for immediate delays to another agency. “A major hurdle is the setting up of high tension power lines at two locations. The KSEB is going slow on the same,” he said.
Tough ride on MC Road, and a distant solution
The anguish is not confined to the National Highways. The MC Road from Angamaly to Muvattupuzha will also suffer due to existing works, with heavy congestion expected around Kalady and Muvattupuzha town. While the finance department recently sanctioned a significant Rs 377.8 crore for the renovation of 82 roads, this relief will not materialise in time for the current pilgrimage.
Regarding the perpetually clogged Muvattupuzha Junction, a senior NHAI official offered a future solution, confirming that the tender for the detailed project report for a Muvattupuzha bypass has been awarded to a consultancy firm, HEC Pvt Ltd, which has been given six months to prepare the report.
For the thousands of pilgrims set to arrive in the coming days, however, this promise of a bypass is a far-off hope.