Proposal to divert, regulate traffic prepared for deliberation

KOCHI: A high-level meeting called by Kochi Metro Rail Ltd today discussed ways to divert and regulate traffic during the construction phase of the project and prepared a proposal to enable all stakeholders to deliberate.

The preliminary plan has been handed over to police and other key departments to formulate a detailed proposal considering the ground realities and a review meeting would be held in two weeks to finalise it, a KMRL press release said.

The civil works of the project from Aluva to Petta have already been tendered in four packages as Aluva to Kalamassery, Kalamassery to Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, and the stadium to South railway station, South railway station to Pettah. It is likely to start physical work by April/May.

The meeting observed some general principles and decided to deliberate the plan further. In order to take up Metro works, four meters either side from the centre of Highway will be barricaded. Work has been planned in stretches of 200 metres and hence road widening will be taken up accordingly.

Necessary traffic signs, lights, warnings, speed regulations, traffic controls at entry points of bye-roads are to be displayed. To ensure two lane facility, road widening will be taken up on either side of the highway.

Among other major suggestions were to redirect traffic from Northern side to City from Kalamassery through Container Road and High court, re-direct heavy and light traffic from Northern and Southern side to the city from Edapally Junction to Palarivattom and Vyttila through By-pass.

The meeting was chaired by Elias George,Managing Director KMRL attended by Padmakumar- IGP, Sheik Pareeth- District collector, K G James, Kochi city Police commissioner, P Sreeram, Projec director, DMRC.