NHAI faces flak over poor service roads on Edappally-Aroor NH 66 bypass

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is facing considerable flak over the shoddy condition of service road stretches on either side of the 17-km-long Edappally-Aroor NH 66 bypass, considered the busiest national highway (NH) corridor in Kerala.

The situation is particularly bad on either side of the Edappally overbridge-Edappally Junction-Palarivattom stretch, where the agency has been constructing a pair of flyover-cum-underpasses for well over a year.

“Motorists and pedestrians have been hard hit by the inordinate delay in completing the flyovers, unscientific diversion of vehicles, severely potholed service roads and the resultant traffic chaos on Kerala’s busiest NH corridor,” said D.G. Suresh, acting president of Ernakulam District Residents Associations’ Apex Council (EDRAAC) and a resident of Palarivattom.

The pothole-ridden service road of the NH bypass on the Palarivattom-Edappally stretch.  
| Photo Credit:
JOHN L. PAUL 

“There are inadequate direction boards around work sites, while the service roads merge with the main carriageway in a confusing manner. The situation becomes even worse whenever a nearby mall announces a discount sale, as the additional influx of motorists to Edappally Junction, where NH 66 converges with NH 544, adds to the traffic congestion.”

“In this situation, the NHAI ought to urgently repair potholed service roads, raise road shoulders to the level of the tarred carriageway, and fast-track work on the pair of flyovers and underpasses. The NHAI must also take steps to prevent waterlogging, while the District Collector must ensure seamless coordination between the NHAI and other agencies to streamline traffic flow in and around Edappally,” Mr. Suresh added.

Expressing angst over the deteriorating condition of service roads on the Edappally-Aroor NH Bypass, a senior traffic police officer said it was high time the NHAI took proactive measures to repair them and the huge potholes that have developed on the main carriageway. “The agency that collects tolls has also not undertaken repair works, despite massive traffic snarls being caused by potholes and the choppy expansion joints on the Vyttila railway overbridge. Potholes abound even atop the Palarivattom flyover,” he added.

Responding to the concerns, NHAI sources said efforts were under way to repair damaged service roads and potholes on the main carriageway of the NH bypass. They attributed the slowing down of work on the pair of flyovers to a recent design change. “Thus, three more spans will be added to each flyover to build a dedicated pedestrian underpass. The net result will be that their total length will increase by 180 metres.”