The state government is all set to open the Vyttila and Kundannoor flyover for traffic on Saturday. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the Vyttila flyover through an online platform around 9.30am.
The Kundannoor flyover will be inaugurated around 11am. As part of ensuring the final preparation on the two flyovers, Public Works Minister G Sudhakaran along with other officials visited the bridges on Friday evening. The state government which implemented the two projects with the support of Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) has spent R86.34 crore and R82.74 crore for Vyttila and Kundannoor flyover, respectively.
Though the government completed the work last month itself, the date to commission the flyover was fixed after completing all required procedures. “The loadtest of the bridges was completed on December 30 but the approval and power connection for the lighting on the bridges were in the final stage. Besides, the traffic system for vehicles passing under the bridges had to be implemented along with it.
Regardless of this, certain circles carried out a fake propaganda and committed atrocities. The inauguration was scheduled after examining all factors and there was no delay,” said an NHAI official who sought anonymity.
Mayor M Anilkumar, Hibi Eden, MP, MLAs, P T Thomas, M Swaraj, T J Vinodh, S Sarma, andJohn Fernandes, former MPs P Rajeev and K V Thomas, PWD secretary Anand Singh and Collector S Suhas will be present.
Traffic bottleneck on NH stretch likely to persist
Kochi: Though motorists can heave a sigh of relief at Kundannoor and Vyttila with the inauguration of two flyovers on Saturday, the traffic congestion on the National Highway stretch in the city is likely to persist. According to the experts, the traffic congestion at Palarivattom NH Bypass Junction and Edappally Junction will worsen with the opening of the two new flyovers. The vehicles coming from the Alappuzha side towards Edappally will be the most affected. “ With the inauguration of the new flyovers, vehicles coming from the Alappuzha side can ply at an average speed of 60 kmph during the peak hours. But due to the ongoing work at Palarivattom and the traffic signal at Edappally the vehicles will have to reduce the speed. This will create traffic congestion at both junctions. It will get worse during the peak hours,” said a road safety expert.
