Kerala - Kochi

Diversion of vehicles due to road work

KOCHI: Heavy vehicles have been denied entry into the Kundanoor Junction-Aroor stretch of NH 47 because of ongoing repair works on the four damaged bridges and the roads.

Vehicles proceeding to Aroor from Vytilla have to take a deviation from Kundanoor junction and reach Aroor through Palluruthy and the Mattancherry bridge. Vehicles coming towards Vytilla too must deviate from Aroor and reach Kundanoor through Palluruthy.

The traffic restrictions on the busy highway was imposed following huge gaps in the expansion joints of bridges and the potholes over bridges and roads. This held up traffic for a long time. The Kochi project director of the National Highways Authority of India, K. Srinivasulu, said the ongoing repair works will be completed in a week. It would get over earlier if there is a dry spell.

Prior to the rains, the authority had spent Rs 30 lakh on filling potholes on the Vytilla-Aroor stretch, but the roads and bridges got damaged within weeks.

Mr Srinivasulu said re-tendering of four-laning work on the stretch would be done soon. So far, only one agency has come forward to take up the work, which was abandoned half-way by the previous contractor. The Vytilla-Aroor road provides connectivity between the southern and northern districts of the State.

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