Traffic snarls worsen due to delay in widening Civil Line Road as part of Kochi metro’s Kakkanad extension

Worsening traffic on Civil Line Road prompts demands for road widening and alternative routes before Kochi metro extension construction.

The worsening traffic snarls on the arterial Civil Line Road, through which piling is set to begin for the Kochi metro’s 11.20-km Kakkanad extension, have given impetus to the long-pending demand that Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) complete widening of the narrow road and develop alternative roads prior to commencement of piling.

Test piling had begun earlier this month on the road, a little away from the alignment. Metro sources said a detailed geo-technical survey was on, and it ought to be validated, following which barricades would be erected at eight-metre width to commence piling. The metro viaduct ought to be built 20 months from then.

Expressing dismay at the inordinate delay in widening the road and in readying alternative roads, Uma Thomas, MLA, submitted a list of 20 demands titled Thrikkakara Forward to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, at a meeting held recently. Insisting that KMRL complete preparatory works like widening of Civil Line Road and the rest of the proposed metro corridor to 22-metre width as had been assured earlier, she also sought widening of severely bottlenecked junctions such as Vennala High School Junction to divert a section of vehicles through the Puthiya Road-Vennala-Palachuvadu-Kakkanad road.

“Steps must also be taken to widen and develop the Edappally-Marottichuvadu-Pipeline Junction-Kakkanad road. On its part, the State government must fast-track the development of the long-overdue M.G. Road-Pullepady-Thammanam-NH bypass road and kick-start works on the Chakkaraparambu-Kalachal-Infopark highway. It must also redevelop Vyttila Junction, where traffic congestion is acute,” said Ms. Thomas.

KMRL sources said much of the Palarivattom-Vazhakkala stretch of Civil Line Road had been widened, while the widened portion was black-topped up to Chembumukku. Overhead cables are being re-laid as underground cables in the rest of the corridor. The KSEB is citing constraints in shutting down power for its delay in relocating electric posts.

On the hassles faced by motorists at Alinchuvadu, Vazhakkala, and Padamugal, they said steps would be taken to relocate barricades and develop yet-to-be widened parts of the road. “In addition, the St. Martin’s Church-Palarivattom stretch, where land acquisition is under way, will be widened by August,” the sources said.