Railway underpass sought to ease traffic congestion

September 24, 2013

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KOTTAYAM: An underpass at Muttambalam railway gate is increasingly becoming a necessity as KK Road is getting choked with traffic during peak hours.The gate is located in Madukkani-Chanthakkadavu Road – a road that has the potential to be developed as a parallel road to the KK Road.

Even now, motorists depend on this road to avoid getting stuck in the traffic on KK Road. Despite the utility of this road which connects Kanjikuzhy and Kodimatha, it is badly maintained and the demand for an underpass at Muttambalam is also being ignored.

With several apartment projects completed and some underway and others being planned in Kanjikuzhy and Manganam area, the density of population would increase in these areas in the coming years, which will make the development of this road a priority.

The railway gate at Muttambalam is only a few kilometres away from the Kottayam railway station and on Monday, the local residents were shocked to see a train approaching the opened gate around 10.45am.

However, the train stopped a few metres away and continued the journey only after the gates were closed. “I was alerted by the local residents when I was approaching the gate in my scooter,” said H Kurien, a motorist.

Meanwhile, the Railway officials at the Kottayam Railway Station said that the gate at Muttambalam operates through a signal system and the green signal will be shown only when the gates are closed.

According to the officials of the engineering department, a proposal for an underpass here was there, but has gathered dust.

Meanwhile, Kuruvilla Jacob, a resident of Muttambalam and former municipal council member of this ward, the proposal for the widening of the Madukkany-Chanthakkadavu Road is as old as 1978. “The widening was there in the master plan of the town. The proposal was for an 18-metre wide road out of which six metre was for footpath and drainage,” he said.

The road passes through Bata Junction, Erayilkadavu, Chantha Kadavu and joins MG Road in Kodimatha.

Once the Erayilkadavu Bridge is completed, reaching Manipuzha will also become easier.

Meanwhile, PWD officials said that the road from Muttambalam to Chanthakkadavu will be resurfaced soon.

“The work has been tendered and will start soon. As of now, only the surface will be relaid and widening is not there,” said Santhosh, assistant executive engineer.

Source-http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com