Move for road link between MC Road, NH-47

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, JULY 21. The Government is chalking out a road link between the Main Central Road and National Highway 47 in the district using World Bank assistance to ensure that vehicles can cross over from the two roads without entering the city limits, according to the PWD Principal Secretary, Mr. Babu Jacob.

Inaugurating a seminar "Traffic and Transportation problems of Thiruvananthapuram city" organised by the Federation of Residents Associations here today, Mr. Jacob said the road link would be established between Thaicode near Venjaramoodu and Kazhakuttom so that vehicles could proceed via the new bypass. This would also reduce the number of vehicles entering the city limits.

Mr. Jacob, who is also the Additional Chief Secretary, said instead of the 44-km bypass from Kazhakuttom to Inchivila near Parasala, the planners should have gone for a Thiruvananthapuram bypass. The city does not need the proposed subways in busy areas such as Medical College, Secretariat, Thampanoor as it had been found to be highly underutilised in places like Delhi. Moreover, it turns out into places for all kinds of unholy activities.

Pointing out that the capital lacks parking facilities and that carriage-way had been reduced due to encroachments and locating of Telecom and KSEB posts along roads, Mr. Jacob said the utilities should be shifted along the roadside. The PWD Principal Secretary said the problems facing the city should be understood and should be prioritised before projects are drawn.

The Senior Deputy Transport Commissioner, Mr. Alex Paul,

said it is the failure of public transport system to cater to the needs of the commuters that has led to the arrival of more private vehicles leading to traffic snarls in narrow roads.

Pointing out that lack of planning of bus schedules was one of the reasons for the failure of the public transport system in the State, Mr. Alex said both private and KSRTC buses are never plied as per the needs of the commuters.

Mr. Paul suggested the need for staggering of the school and office timings to avoid traffic congestion and transportation problems being faced now. He mooted continuity of planning at least for urban development projects and regretted that pedestrians were not taken into account while planning.

The city corporation Secretary, Ms. Sharmila Mary Joseph, said instructions have already been issued to remove unauthorised hoarding, bunks and shops that obstruct free flow of traffic in the city limits. A detailed action plan has already been worked out in this regard.

Ms. Joseph said directive has been issued to relocate the dustbins as it had been found to be one of the major bottlenecks in many roads in the city. The corporation would soon come out with smaller dustbins for smaller roads, she said.

The corporation would also see that the development plan for East Fort area was expedited, introduce parking lots with the help of the city police and streamline traffic signal system and introduce more pedestrian crossings in the city.

The corporation Secretary said the district administration should consider staggering timings of the schools in the district to avoid traffic congestion during peak hours.

The chief coordinator of Natpac projects, Dr. Mahesh Chand, the former chairman of the Railway Board, Mr. M.N. Prasad, the KSRTC managing director, Mr. Ramarajan, the BCDC managing director and former secretary of the city corporation, Mr. M. Najeeb, were among those who spoke at the inaugural session.

Later, Mr. V.S. Sivakumar, MP, the Mayor, Prof. J. Chandra, Mr. K. Mohankumar, Mr. N. Shaktan, Dr. A. Neelalohithadas Nadar and Mr. M.A. Wahid, MLAs, participated in a review meeting of the traffic and transportation problems in the State.

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