Demand to augment safety of road users on NH Bypass

Missing signboards, traffic hold-ups, ill-maintained service roads add to commuters’ woes

Inadequate, missing and misplaced signboards, traffic hold-ups at Vyttila and Kundannoor junctions even after the commissioning of six-lane flyovers, shoddily-maintained service roads and issues related to toll collection have compounded the woes of commuters along the Edappally-Aroor NH Bypass. The complaint is rife that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) which owns the 16-km corridor and an agency that collects toll and is duty bound to maintain it are seldom responsive to grievances raised by people’s representatives and others. “Accidents often happen at U-turns and at points where vehicles enter NH Bypass from side roads, since signboards are missing at many locations on the corridor. Even worse, the NHAI and the operation, maintenance, tolling (OMT) contracting firm to which it has entrusted upkeep of the stretch have not bothered to install boards warning speeding motorists of pedestrian crossings,” said sources in City Traffic Police.