Kerala - Kochi
Ineptitude of civic agencies causing traffic snarls
Staff Reporter
Widening of North, South bridges remains a far cry
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Demand to relocate bus stops, auto stands away from busy junctions
Many medians do not have proper reflectors, street lights, leading to accidents
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KOCHI: Lack of coordination between civic agencies and the traffic police to ensure smooth flow of traffic in the city during the monsoons has made commuting a nightmarish experience.
The reopening of schools and colleges has made things worse, with vehicles jostling for space in congested roads. The delay by the PWD and the Kochi Corporation in widening the North and South overbridges; the Greater Cochin Development Authority’s inability to relay the badly damaged Kaloor-Kadavanthra Road and the apathy of the Railways in building a 25-metre portion connecting the approach spans of the Pullepady overbridge have seriously affected traffic flow and eroded the credibility of these agencies.
On its part, the National Highways Authority of India has not even initiated the preliminary works to build flyovers at Palarivattom, Edappally, Kundanoor and Vytilla, despite motorists having to wait for around half an hour to cross these junctions during peak hours. The completion of these road, bridge and flyover projects would have eased traffic congestion in the city.
Police initiative
With the Corporation, PWD and the NHAI which are flush with funds not installing sign boards, bus bays and electronic signal systems, the traffic police began putting them up with the help of sponsors. Then came opposition from the Corporation, on the ground that it has the sole right to permit sponsors to display their advertisements.
A police officer termed this as dog-in-the-manger attitude. Motorists are not always happy with the traffic reforms being tried out by the police. The barricades put up at the western side of the South overbridge to prevent vehicles from side roads from entering the bridge, has come up for criticism. The police have been unable to prevail on civic agencies to relocate bus stops and auto stands away from junctions.
The fall in visibility because of the monsoons has also led to vehicles ramming into unlit medians at night. The Corporation has not cleared the slush that its workers dug out from drains, causing inconvenience to pedestrians.
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