KOCHI: The people of Vaduthala had approached the Kochi Corporation with a demand to expand the Lourdes Hospital Road connecting Pachalam junction to Don Bosco junction 25 years ago.
A memorandum signed by nearly 5,000 persons was submitted to the authorities concerned, say the people of the region. But, the authorities have not taken any measures to implement the project so far, they added.
The expansion of the Lourdes Hospital Road running parallel to the Chittoor Road connecting thickly populated regions like Vaduthala and Chittoor to Ernakulam city has assumed importance with the progress made in the work for the Pachalam railway overbridge.
The completion of the Pachalam RoB in four months’ time will result in a deluge of vehicles to the Vaduthala railway overbridge, pointed out Mr K.K. Kalesan, a leader of the north zone committee of the Residents Association Coordination Council.
“If the road is not expanded, urgent steps should be taken for setting up an RoB or underpass at Vadutahala gate,” he said.
Otherwise, the already unbearable traffic snarls will aggravate further, he added. Setting up an RoB or underpass will not require any major land acquisition. The land required will be less than one acre.
The north zone committee has already launched a signature campaign in this regard and the signatures will be submitted to the Chief Minister and other ministers concerned next week, Mr Kalesan said.
The railways has no plans to set up an RoB at the place now, said a senior railway official. “At present RoBs are being constructed at places like Eroor and Atlantis. Vaduthala RoB is not under consideration,” he said.
