Traffic chaos in city from Thursday

KOCHI: The traffic movement in the city will worsen for three days from Thursday with the Railways requesting the police to close down the Pachalam   railway gate for maintenance work. In that case, the authorities will have no option other than to divert the traffic through Pullepady bridge or open North ROB for three days. With the  rising New Year rush, the entire traffic flow will go haywire with the closing of the gate. Railway officials told Express that the Pachalam gate was in a dilapidated condition and requires urgent repair work. “We have informed the police and traffic authorities about the changes. They are yet to respond. But, the gate will be closed anyway,” an official said. At present, all vehicles other than buses and cars bound for Kaloor and  Edappally are diverted from the High Court Junction through the Mathai Manjooran Road. Many turn left at Kacheripady and go through the Chittoor Road via Ayyappankavu.After reaching Kattunkal temple near Pachalam railway gate, most vehicles take right turn through Pachalam-Pottakkuzhi Road to Pottakkuzhi. From Pottakuzhi, they turn left and take Elamakkara Road to reach Edappally or take a right turn to reach Kaloor.But, with the closing of the gate, the only option will be to divert the entire two and three-wheeler vehicles through the Pullapady bridge. The vehicles will have to ply another five km through the bridge to reach Vaduthala and Elamakkara areas. But, vehicular movement will be difficult as roads are not wide enough for heavy traffic.  Another major crisis  will be that the tankers plying through the Pachalam gate will have to rely on Kacheripady-Kaloor route to reach Edappally.   When Express enquired about the remedial measures, the traffic authorities said that they had just received the information regarding the closure of gate and no alternative measures had been planned yet. “We have been informed that the railway gate will be closed. We are looking  for an alternative. At present, we have no remedial measure other than to  rely on the Pullapady bridge,” a traffic police official said.