New flyover adds to Vyttila's worries

Kochi: The congested Vyttila junction will have to bear the brunt of the increased flow of vehicles with the commissioning of the Palarivattom flyover. The stretch of national highway from Edappally to Vyttila has become smooth because there are no signal junctions, but these vehicles end up in a serpentine traffic jam at the very busy Vyttila junction.  Motorists and passengers have demanded immediate steps to realize the twin flyovers at Vyttila and Kundanoor. The Rs 215 crore project is under the consideration of the National Highway Authority of India.

“Though the intensity of traffic chaos at Vyttila can be assessed only after a week, it is certain that the number of vehicles coming to the junction from the northern side in a minute will be much higher which will add to the traffic congestion. Since the traffic flow is smooth from Edappally, more vehicles will be reaching Vyttila in a short time,” said P.S Shine, councillor, Vyttila division. The traffic police are are also chalking out comprehensive plans to manage the increased vehicle flow.

The density of traffic movement is counted in passenger car unit (PCU) per hour and as per earlier statistics, more than 13,000 cars pass through Vyttila junction in an hour which is going to increase. Once the flyover is constructed, more than 45 per cent of these vehicles will use it to pass through the junction, according to a survey conducted by the NH wing of the Public Works Department.

“Even on the inaugural day of the new flyover on Wednesday, the peak hours in the evening witnessed a heavy traffic block. A long queue of vehicles was seen along the NH from Chalikkavattom,” said Abdul Rahman, a private bus driver. Meanwhile, the city residents and civic authorities are pinning their hopes on the assurance given by minister for public works G. Sudhakaran on immediate measures to start construction of the twin flyovers. The file on the two flyovers has already been handed over to the NHAI and once the Authority gets the Union government’s nod, works can be started.