Pedestrians, motorists, residents and traders in the Edapally-Muthakunnam National Highway (NH) 66 corridor that is being widened as six lane are having a harrowing time due to dust, slush from work sites and inadequate barricading of areas with level differences between the existing narrow highway and its sides.
The dismantling of bus shelters has in turn led to commuters having to either wait for long under the scorching sun, or to jostle for space within thick plastic sheets that have been put up at a few places as a temporary measure.
Road-safety campaigner C.J. Johnson, who commutes along the stretch daily, said the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) must emulate Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Limited, which used to sprinkle water at Kochi Metro work sites at frequent intervals, to lessen dust in the air. “I had taken this up with metro rail authorities since much of the metro corridor passed through heavily built-up and passenger-dense areas. The NHAI must adopt such practices as insisted upon in cities like New Delhi by the Commission of Air Quality Management, to improve the air-quality. Matters become worse when buses divert from paved road to halt at stops, engulfing the entire area in dust, affecting commuters the most. Personnel of Pollution Control Board have agreed to look into the issue, when I took up this health hazard with them,” he added.
Pointing to vendors selling food items on road side amidst all the dust, heaps of mud and construction debris near Cheranaloor, Denny, a two-wheeler rider said those who consume them too are at risk.
Danger also lurks in the form of gaping potholes on approach roads from either side to Edapally overbridge, and even beyond on the highway stretch that leads to Muthakunnam, something that NHAI had agreed to repair in 2023. Motorists are particularly at risk during night.
The NHAI must redress problems posed by dust and inadequate width of service roads beside many flyovers, said Rajesh, president of Cheranallore grama panchayat. “They must be developed at 7-m width, and not at 5.50-m width, to prevent traffic snarls,” he added.
NHAI sources said that problems if any caused by dust, would be taken up with the contracting firm. “Currently, 35% of the work on the NH corridor is over and rest of the works can be completed by December 2025.”
