Ruing the delay in redeveloping alternative roads to ease traffic on Civil Line Road, which has been barricaded for over three months for the Kochi metro’s Kakkanad extension, Uma Thomas, MLA, has demanded in a letter to the Chief Minister that the government take urgent steps to realise the Chakkaraparambu-Kaalachal-Infopark corridor and prepare a set of diversion roads.
She said no steps had been taken to redevelop diversion roads or those running parallel to Civil Line Road despite her letters to Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) and other authorities. She pointed out that this starkly contrasted with the preparatory works, including road redevelopment and bottleneck clearance, carried out before barricades were set up along the Aluva-M.G. Road-Thripunithura corridor for the metro’s first phase over a decade ago.
“The piling work, which began without adequate preparations, has caused severe traffic snarls on Civil Line Road and the roads linking the city to Kakkanad and Infopark. There is no proper diversion route in place,” she said.
Ms. Thomas earlier pointed out that only a token amount was spent in 2024, mainly for a few dozen direction and diversion boards. In contrast, the then State government had allotted ₹38 crore to redevelop diversion roads, clear bottlenecks, and resurface 22 alternative roads before work began on the metro’s Aluva-Thripunithura phase one extension. Another ₹258 crore had been spent to widen and rebuild the Ernakulam North overbridge and construct three new overbridges. Given this, the government should proactively develop the Chakkaraparambu-Kaalachal-Infopark corridor as a parallel route to Civil Line Road. A survey and other formalities for the corridor had already been completed, she said.
TDF submits report
Meanwhile, the Thrikkakara Development Forum (TDF) has submitted a project report and a list of NATPAC-assisted suggestions to District Collector N.S.K. Umesh to ease congestion in Kakkanad alongside the metro’s extension. The proposals include widening the bottlenecked Collectorate Junction.
Other stakeholders supporting TDF’s efforts to decongest Kakkanad and its access roads include the Flats and Villas Association, Thrikkakara Residents Associations’ Apex Council, Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi, and Private Bus Owners Association. The Collector has agreed to convene a meeting on February 20, forum representatives said.
