The government plans to approach the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) for building a flyover at Eenchakkal junction to reduce the traffic congestion in the area, Minister for Transport Antony Raju has said.
The Minister made the announcement after a meeting held on Sunday to discuss development projects in the Thiruvananthapuram Assembly constituency.
Imperative
Mr. Raju will meet the NHAI chairperson in New Delhi to discuss the matter. Sunday’s meeting concluded that a flyover was imperative to resolve the knotty traffic issue at Eenchakkal, the Transport Minister said.
Situated on the busy Kazhakuttam-Mukkola national highway stretch, the junction serves as an important entry point to the capital city. Roads leading from East Fort, Vallakadavu, Attakulangara and the Pettah-Eenchakkal road converge on it. Negotiating the junction has become a veritable ordeal for motorists, especially during the peak hours.
Although a vehicular underpass had been planned at Eenchakkal as part of the development of the NH stretch, it was dropped following local protests. On Sunday, the Transport Minister drew attention to an earlier demand for a flyover at this location.
Meanwhile, the police informed the meeting that the feasibility of re-routing vehicles through smaller roads in the area also would be explored.
Elected representatives, Transport Secretary Biju Prabhakar, officials from the police department, NHAI and the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation and the local residents’ association representatives attended the meeting.
