Accidents on NH bypass send alarm bells ringing; clamour for bus bays grows louder

Road safety experts, enforcement personnel, and residents’ associations demand that NHAI relocate bus stops, install signboards, and clear encroachments and parking on service roads

Aday after two motorbike riders died after being sandwiched in between two KSRTC buses at Chakkaraparambu Junction on the congested Edappally-Vyttila NH 66 bypass, road safety experts, enforcement personnel, and residents’ associations have demanded that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) augment safety measures in the 7-km corridor.

That over a dozen motorists and pedestrians have died in road accidents at Chakkaraparambu alone during the past decade sheds light on the need for the NHAI to relocate bus stops away from the carriageway of the accidentprone NH corridor, said a senior tra—c police o—cer. “The agency must probe whether space for bus bays can be hewed out at relatively wider portions of service roads. The side medians having approximately 1.5-metre width can perhaps be added to it.”

Nisar Karukapadath, a resident of Chakkaraparambu who operated a ›eet of buses on the Vyttila-NH bypass-Vyttila circular route till a few years ago, cited the need to install adequate boards and road markings to forewarn motorists, especially those from outside the city, of bus stops located at frequent intervals on the densely populated Palarivattom-Vyttila bypass. “Dedicated bus bays that have 3.50-metre width are ideal and can be readied if the NHAI makes some effort to lessen the width of 4-metre-wide central median and side medians. Likewise, the agency must chip away the central median and create waiting space for at least 10 cars at each U-turn to prevent trafŠc hold-ups in the vicinity of each U-turn,” he said.

He further exhorted the NHAI, Kochi Corporation, and the police to clear encroachments and haphazard parking on service roads. “There are places where shops have encroached on substantial width of service roads and entry to side roads. All this reduced the width of the tarred surface, causing accidents and tra—c holdups,” Mr. Karukapadath said.

The absence of dedicated bus bays on roads is a big problem on most roads in Kerala, said B. Anish Kini, scientist-in-charge of the Kochi regional o—ce of the National Transportation Planning and Research Centre (NATPAC). “The other accident-risk factors include entry to

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman S. Somanath has said that there are tremendous possibilities and potential for private players in the country’s space sector.

“The potential is very high and the possibilities are encouraging. We will be happy to engage with you and support you in realising your vision,” he said after inaugurating the carbon reduction initiative of SFO Technologies, the ›agship company of NeST Group, here on Saturday.

Mr. Somanath said New Space India Limited (NSIL), the commercial arm of the Department of Space, had called on private players to manufacture side roads that take o£ directly the launcher LVM3. “We from the EdappallyAroor wanted to look at a model bypass, that too where private players from near bus stops. This would work with NSIL on a

‘blindndpublic-private created a lot of partnership spots’, where motorists are model. unable to see each other “This is the change that and also pedestrians who we wanted to bring about might cross the road in so that all these capabilities front of or behind parked are exploited for commercial buses.” purposes more e£ectively and e—ciently. This will also help the ISRO concentrate on its next steps related to manned missions to moon and a space station as those types of works required a lot of concentration and e£ort,” he added.

The chairman said the ISRO had already started moving its satellites to the private sector.

Study conducted

NATPAC had in 2022 conducted a safety study of the bypass as part of its Accident-Free Kochi campaign.

Interestingly, the stretch that is said to be the busiest in Kerala and is also among the most accident-prone, does not have ArtiŠcial Intelligence-enabled cameras, it is learnt.

H. VIBHU Tangled in tra ic: Chaos reigns in the vicinity of bus stops on the Edappally-Aroor bypass owing to unscientific design by the NHAI. Most bus stops are located at junctions where side roads take o. Seen here is the entry and exit to a busy byroad and service road from near the bus stop at Chalikkavattom.

R.K. NITHIN Antony Valunkal (left), who was appointed auxiliary bishop of the Varapuzha Archdiocese, being welcomed by Archbishop Joseph Kalathiparambil.