Kochi: Traffic moved at a snail's pace along the Edapally-Aroor stretch of National Highway 66 on Thursday as vehicles were diverted to facilitate major repair works of the Palarivattom flyover.
A heavy traffic jam was witnessed during morning and evening peak hours at Palarivattom as officials of the Roads and Bridges Development Corporation of Kerala (RBDCK) said they would attempt to finish the activities in a month by carrying out the repair works during nights too.
"We've started removing asphalt concrete of the flyover in both directions using two JCBs. A detailed inspection will be carried out, especially between the spans, to detect the gaps. Workers will be deployed in night too to finish the repair works by the end of this month itself," said sources.
Meanwhile, the traffic police has deployed additional personnel besides erecting signboards to lessen the effect of traffic diversion. Vehicles proceeding to Kakkanad from Palarivattom side were asked to take left at the signal junction and take a U-turn after proceeding forward for nearly 200 metres. Similarly the vehicles from Kakkanad proceeding to Kochi city were diverted to Vytilla side from the signal junction and then take a U-turn before the EMC hospital.
"At least 10 personnel were deployed at various points to control traffic. This was besides four private security personnel deployed by the contractor at two ends where the vehicles were asked to take U-turns," a traffic police officer said.
"I was caught in heavy traffic jam while returning from my workplace at Palarivattom to my house at Madavana. It took 15 minutes to pass the Palarivattom signal junction but was again caught in traffic congestion at the Vytilla and Kundanoor junctions where flyover construction is progressing. Finally I reached home taking one hour and 15 minutes instead of the usual 40 minutes ride," said Sreelatha J, a resident of Mundempilly.
The 750-metre long flyover along the NH 66 is closed for traffic from May one to 30 to facilitate maintenance works. The flyover, constructed by spending Rs 39 crore, developed potholes and the surface became uneven within months of opening of the bridge.
