Redevelopment of Vyttila Junction: stalemate continues

The stalemate over redeveloping the Vyttila Junction, despite worsening traffic snarls at the spot and on roads leading to it, has raised hackles among motorists and pedestrians who are caught in the chaos. The State government’s assurance of finalising an action plan to decongest the junction dates back to January 2001, shortly after realising that the six-lane flyover built by the Public Works Department, NH wing, catered to just around 30% of the over one lakh passenger car units that criss-cross the junction daily. With National Transportation Planning and Research Centre and a couple of other agencies suggesting short- and long-term solutions to streamline safe transit of vehicles and pedestrians, the PWD sought Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board funding for the junction’s redevelopment. The recommendations by NATPAC and technical experts like E. Sreedharan, former Principal Advisor of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, who brought about signal-free movement of vehicles at Palarivattom Bypass Junction, fell on deaf ears.” “The least that PWD could have done is to lessen the extent of the massive roundabout and medians beneath the flyover, so that vehicles get adequate space to cross over to the other side of the junction. “The contracting firm could then cite this as an excuse if any defect was detected in the flyover’s construction.” The uncertainty about developing Vyttila Mobility Hub has further dampened the prospects of developing Vyttila as a development hub, said Ajith Kumar, general secretary of Ernakulam District Residents Associations’ Apex Council.