Traffic police moot foot overbridge across Wayanad road connecting Kozhikode civil station

Kozhikode City police propose a foot overbridge with lift and ramp facilities for easy and safe pedestrian access.

The traffic wing of the Kozhikode City police has proposed a foot overbridge with lift and ramp facilities across the Wayanad road to ensure easy and barrier-free access for visitors and officials to the Kozhikode civil station. A preliminary sketch of the project, which was designed by Sub Inspector Manoj Babu citing existing safety concerns, is ready for the consideration of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

Officials with the designing wing of the Kerala Road Fund Board (KRFB) have already held preliminary discussions with the Kozhikode Corporation authorities and other stakeholders to explore the scope of its speedy implementation. If realised, it will be one of the major safety initiatives in the city for pedestrians, especially differently abled citizens who now risk their lives to cross the accident-prone stretch at the peak hours of traffic.

“A safe and always accessible pedestrian crossing is a must near the civil station as the completion of the ongoing road highway widening work will naturally increase rush of vehicles and possibilities of accidents. The proposal for foot overbridge can be executed without any big investment,” said a senior police officer. He said the Corporation authorities were supportive of the idea and they would be forwarding the minutes of the previous meetings to the higher authorities concerned to speed up the preparation of a Detailed Project Report (DPR).

It was a group of differently abled officials at the civil station who first sought the intervention of the authorities to set up a barrier-free pedestrian crossing in the area. According to them, many of the elderly citizens are also finding it hard to cross the road and reach the civil station during peak hours. Recurring protests and road blockades in front of the civil station had also prompted them to seek a permanent solution to the issue.