Bridge demolition: Trial run begins on Saturday

KOCHI: After months of deliberations, the authorities have decided to conduct a trial run of traffic regulation to facilitate demolition of the North Railway Overbridge.District Collector P I Sheik Pareeth said the trial run would begin on Saturday.Kochi Metro rail project nodal officer Tom Jose confirmed that the proposed trial run would be carried out as per the earlier decision.The roads running parallel to the Banerjee Road and those around the north ROB will see increased traffic once the traffic diversion is implemented. But so far no concrete steps have been taken to repair these roads which have been suggested as alternative routes.According to the regulations proposed by the Kochi city police, light vehicles coming from the Aluva side will be diverted to MG Road via Thammanam and Kathrikkadavu junctions. Some vehicles would be diverted to Thammanam Junction from Palarivattom to  proceed along Thammanam-Pullepady Road to reach C P Ummer Road and Chittoor Road before touching MG Road.The police have suggested two more routes: One from the main road in front of the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium and the other at Kaloor Junction to reach Kathrikkadavu Junction.The proposed regulations suggest two routes for vehicles going out of the city. One route is an exit towards Edappally touching Pachalam-Pottakuzhi-Elamakkara and Edappally. The other is a diversion from MG Road to Veekshanam Road and then on to Thammanam-Pullepady Road. The proposed regulation notice states that vehicles coming from Kaloor to Ernakulam Town Railway Station should divert to Manapatty Parambu, then turn left to SRM Road to reach the station’s eastern entry.Though it provides an alternative road, there is no parking space near the station’s eastern gate. But ambiguity prevails as the authorities concerned are yet to arrive at a consensus on various aspects related to the proposal. The traffic police and the Kochi Corporation Town Planning department are of the opinion that the regulations should be implemented only after repairing the roads on alternative routes.