Traffic Diversion a Smooth Affair

KOCHI: Though city traffic was at its peak as office-goers hit the roads on Monday morning, the diversion as part of the North rail overbridge (RoB) demolition did not create the expected chaos. By and large the diversion was a success. However, initially there was some confusion about the new routes at some junctions. As planned, the traffic was diverted through the alternative road via Pulleppady bridge. This brought down the traffic on the North RoB while smaller stretches through which the two-wheelers and autorickshaws were diverted experienced heavy rush resulting in road blocks.A major traffic block occured at Padma Junction where the road is too narrow to contain the heavy flow of vehicles.  This in turn resulted in traffic snarls on the entire MG Road stretch. Heavy block was also seen  in front of the Lisie Hospital where the vehicles parked on both sides of the road hindered the movement of vehicles. The toll booth at Pulleppady bridge also created obstacle and a long queue was seen on the approach road leading to the bridge. In the absence of two-wheelers and other light vehicles, buses and cars had a smooth drive on the Palarivattom-Kacheripady stretch, where huge traffic snarls are a regular feature. “The vehicles were diverted through the Thammanam-Pulleppady Road to the Pulleppady overbridge. Two-wheelers and autorickshaws were diverted from Kaloor stadium to Karanakodam Junction on the Thammanam-Pullepady Road. The vehicles then went through the Kathrikadavu underpass, Pullepady bridge and Krishnaswami Cross Road and entered MG Road through Chittoor Road. There was some rush during the office time but we had deployed enough police personnel to ensure the smooth flow of traffic,” said Baby Vinod, Assistant Commissioner, Traffic Police, East. A feasibility study before the trial run had pointed out that about 60 per cent of vehicles plying through the North overbridge are two-wheelers and autorickshaws. By successfully divertingthe two-wheelers and autorickshaws, the entire traffic system was smoothened. The two-wheelers and autorickshaws from Ernakulam North will be diverted once the other side of the north bridge is demolished.