KOCHI: The district collector has asked the regional transport officer to study and submit a report on the feasibility of declaring the busy HMT junction which has more than 15 educational institutions in the area as an education zone. HMT Junction Development Action Council has recently submitted a memorandum to the district administration seeking development of the junction, which currently lacks basic facilities. Based on the RTO’s report, the district administration is expected to take necessary steps in this regard.
As per NATPAC findings, HMT junction is the fourth most dangerous junction in the district which doesn’t have proper traffic management system, signals or parking facilities. Demanding the junction’s development, the action council has initiated a mass petition campaign which has been signed by nearly 11,000 people including Kalamassery municipal chairperson Jessy Peter, Opposition leader Henny Baby, former MLA A.M Yusuf, councillors and heads of educational institutions. The petition will be submitted to the CM.
“The busiest HMT junction has to be declared as education zone after developing the area based on a scientific plan. Sign boards, footpaths, dividers, signal lights and CCTV cameras should be installed with enforcement of speed restriction for vehicles. The one acre government land between the NAD Road and HMT Road can be used for development of the junction,” said M. Nandakumar, chairman of the action council. A.M Yusuf has requested the authorities to entrust the junction development project with Greater Cochin Development Authority.
