New traffic diversion only after raising service roads

Kochi: Any further traffic diversion at Kundanoor Junction, where flyover construction is progressing, will be taken up only after raising the service roads (Aroor direction) on both sides of the National Highway 66.

“Nearly 200 meters each of the service roads will be raised upto a maximum of eight metres to touch the NH. Interlock tiles will be laid over the raised portions.

Currently, the sand filling up process is progressing and the herculean task is expected to take at least a month,” said a senior PWD official.

The authorities learnt a lesson after they first started construction works towards Vytilla direction without undertaking preparatory works. The serpentine queue of vehicles would often extend to nearly two kms with the junction getting congested due to heavy flow of vehicles from all four sides.

“We’ve no other alternative than to raise the service roads. Once the work is finished the central portion of the NH from the Kundannor bridge to junction will be barricaded to facilitate flyover construction. The vehicles will be diverted through the raised highway, 3.5 meters on one side,” the official said.

Currently, only 15 per cent of the flyover construction work is complete since work began nearly six months ago.

“The contractor, Marymatha Constructions, has started piling works in the Aroor direction. However, work will be quicken up only after the opening of the raised portion of the service roads,” the official said.

So far, 65 out of the total 184 piles for Kundanoor flyover have been constructed besides five pile caps.