Bellmouths at key junctions in Kochi to be widened to streamline traffic

Police initiate steps to close illegal cuttings on side medians that cause accidents

Efforts are on to make optimal use of space at Vyttila, bottlenecked parts of Banerjee Road, Pettah, and Thripunithura to streamline traffic, sources in the Kochi City Traffic Police (East) said. With the PWD (NH Wing) not heeding to repeated requests to chip away parts of the roundabout and medians beneath the Vyttila flyover which unnecessarily occupy considerable space, the police have readied an action plan to enable smoother movement of vehicles in the free-left turn from the Palarivattom side towards Kaniampuzha Road which leads to the Vyttila Mobility Hub. This is because buses and other vehicles now have to jostle for space to negotiate a right-angled turn to access the road, adding to traffic snarls at the junction. “This problem can be avoided if vacant land abutting the Vyttila Mobility Hub is added to the road, at the bellmouth. In addition, we have requested the PWD to tar-coat the earthen road shoulder at the turning, so that vehicles can turn smoothly, while relocating an autorickshaw stand here and also a few posts will create additional space,” police sources said.