Thiruvananthapuram: Model road' not model anymore

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It was during early November 2015 the then city police commissioner H. Venkatesh decided to make the 1.2-km Vellayambalam – Sasthamangalam stretch a “model road”.  It was aimed at bringing down accidents and introducing a better traffic culture among the public.  But the pedestrians are at the receiving end now. They can’t access the footpath freely due to the encroachment by wayside eateries. Deccan Chronicle took a walk along the Vellayambalam – Sasthamangalam – Vellayambalam stretch to do a reality check. A huge heap of garbage was found next to the transformer at the Vellayambalam dumped by the nearby corner shops. Vellayambalam – Sasthamangalam stretch is quite popular among the foodies because of the variety of restaurants and wayside eateries. 

A resident, Indira Raveendranath, told DC that the motorists freely park their cars and two-wheelers on the bus bay leaving the KSRTC and private bus drivers to pick the travellers from the middle of the road. “It is challenging to walk on the footpath as the wayside eateries have encroached it. Those who come to have the food spit on the footpath/road and the wayside eateries clog the drain with maida batter and wastewater. Due to illegal parking on the streets, we had to rely on an autorickshaw to go to the hospital when my husband fell ill,” said the 59-year old.

DC could see how three mobile wayside eateries had illegally occupied the polymer-coated interlock tiled footpath, pushing pedestrians on to roads on the Vellayambalam – Sasthamangalam – Vellayambalam stretch.  Anil Kumar Pandala, project director of Thiruvananthapuram Road Development Company Limited (TRDCL), said it's a real shame on the part of the city police to make the stretch as a model road.

“It's an absolute shame calling the stretch a model road," he told DC.  "The wayside eateries have put gas cylinders on the road without a license and occupied the footpath by pulling the tarpaulin, forcing pedestrians to jump to the road risking their lives.” The TRDCL is the concessionaires of Kerala Road Fund Board, that has been entrusted to maintain the 42-km city roads under the City Road Improvement Project (CRIP).

City police commissioner P. Prakash said the model road meant all necessary traffic signs, road markings, parking restrictions, footpath and other regulations including the speed limit are in place.  He confirmed that as the capital city is growing day by day, parking woes are galore.  “What we require in the city is several multi-level parking areas. The wayside eateries are causing issues for pedestrians which we will look into,” he told DC.

What is a model road?

A model road is one where vehicles are parked in the designated area. The footpath is pedestrian friendly with no encroachments and traffic signs are met. Unfortunately, none of these criteria are ensured now after the city police launched the concept of model road. A top Public Works Department official told DC that as per the Indian Road Congress there is no definition for a model road. He added that it was the city police which decided to make the Vellayambalam – Sasthamangalam stretch into a model road without keeping the essence of it.

The shabbiness of the model road can be seen after midnight until 6 am. Morning joggers have a hard time when they hit the road and not the footpath fearing the oil strewn stretch. “In fact there are several wayside eateries who provide portable wash basins which is a huge blessing in disguise which makes foodies from spitting on the road”, said a foodie.

A Raj Bhavan source told DC that few months ago Governor P. Sathasivam saw a clutter of mobile wayside eateries at the Vellayambalam junction which led the city police to shift them on the Vellayambalam – Vazhuthacaud stretch. Things on the other stretches, especially on the Kaudiar – Kuravankonam and Vellayambalam – Vazhuthacaud - Vellayambalam stretches are also no different, though the city police have not named them as model roads yet.