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Decongesting roads in Kozhikode city
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Work on several road projects has started in Kozhikode. BIJU GOVIND says these provide a glimmer of hope for the city.
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PHOTO: S. RAMESH KURUP
GOOD TIDINGS: The Arayidathupalam junction in Kozhikod. Work on a flyover has begun here.
No city has progressed without getting its roads decongested. Kozhikode has been choking in ever-growing traffic for the past few years. Unscientifically constructed roads in important areas have stymied its growth.People have been demanding for a long time that the civic authorities take serious note of the problem. The start of the work on road projects, under the Kerala Sustainable Urban Development Programme (KSUDP), on Monday provides a glimmer of hope that
the city will be become more habitable. The Asian Development Bank aids the programme.
Urban roads and transport, one of the components of the programme, will receive Rs. 34.74 crore of the Rs. 127 crore allocated for various works, such as those on sewerage, drainage and solid-waste management.
Urban transport project
The urban transport project includes the construction of a flyover at Arayadathupalam, renovation of 19 roads and improvement of 13 junctions.
One of the major works is widening of the mini bypass from the Arayadathupalam junction to the Eranhipalam junction to four lanes. The two junctions will be given a facelift.
K. Narayanan, KSUDP project manager, says revamping these two junctions will ease traffic congestion in the city to a considerable extent. The work has been entrusted to the Vadakara-based Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society. All the projects will be completed within 18 months.
The work on the mini bypass will be completed first. Also to be taken up are renovation of Francis Road; M.M. Ali Road; Link Road; Red Cross Road; Pavamani Road; Mavoor Road; Rajaji Road; Ram Mohan Road; Sweet Meet Street; P.T. Usha Road; and Aravind Ghosh Road, together spanning a length of 11.341 km.
The roads at West Hill-Chungam; Poonthanam; Rajaji Road; Pottamel; Medical College; Eranhipalam; Mananchira; City Police Commissioner’s office; State Bank; Stadium; Head Post Office; and Railway Station will be widened. Parking facilities will be provided on the ground at the southern side of the Jayanthi building at Palayam.
The junctions will be improved scientifically, modelled on the one at Pottamel where traffic congestion has been solved after the renovation.
Qualitative traffic and transportation improvements will consist of optimal street lighting, provision of traffic signals, road markings, dividers and pedestrian facilities, Mr. Narayanan says.
Work on seven road projects will be started in the second phase.
To be improved are Gandhi Road; Jail Road; Oyitti Road; National Highways 17 and 212; Cherootty Road; and Court Road. This will be done in connection with the sewerage construction. As of now, all projects are being carried out without acquiring any land, Mr. Narayanan says.
Earlier, the Road and Bridges Development Corporation of Kerala has tried to understand the myriad problems faced by the residents of north Kerala.
Among the cities in the State, Kozhikode has a high number of railway level crossings within its limits. Overbridges have come up only at a few places.
NATPAC studies
Studies conducted by the National Transportation Planning and Research Centre show that the city has a spine and spur system of road network. Roads on either side join the arterial segment of National Highway 17 between Vengali and Feroke. Since the city is growing eastward, the road network in the peripheral areas of Ramanattukara, Poovattupuzha, Kunnamangalam and Kakkodi needs to be strengthened.
The 2001 Census shows that the population within the corporation area of 82.24 sq km is 4.36 lakh. The population in the outgrowths of the city at Elathoor, Kadalundi, Kakkodi, Koduvally, Puthiyangadi and Kunnamangalam influences its growth pattern directly and exerts tremendous pressure on commuter and inter-city traffic.
More than 80 km of roads in the city are under the Department of Public Works and 725 km under the Corporation. Fifty per cent of the corporation roads are blacktopped and the rest are earthen. The network is fully motorable. There are two flyovers in the city. Roads are of moderate pavement conditions and only a limited segment can be widened to four lanes.
More vehicles
The number of vehicles is growing at a fast rate of over 15 per cent. The average daily traffic on the Mananchira- Kallai road in 2000 was 22,731 passenger car units (PCU, a conversion based on the speed of vehicles and the area occupied by them. The PCU of a car is 1 and bus 3). Five years later, the PCU stood at 32,633.
The projected PCU in 2010 is 46,853 and 2015, 67,262. However, the opening of the Thondayad-Malaparamba bypass has brought down the number of vehicles plying in the city.
The studies point out that the traffic condition is less than satisfactory. Traffic corridors meant for long-haul vehicles are used for inter-city traffic. Heavy pedestrian flow and parking problems aggravate the congestion.
However, the construction of a flyover at Arayadathupalam and the improvement of junctions will bring about a major change in the city as well as provide further scope of development, Mr. Narayanan says.
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