Rights panel seeks report from LSGD on linking Chilavannur Bund Road with Vyttila-Aroor bypass

The Principal Secretary of the Local Self Government department (LSGD) must submit a report within six weeks on the steps that have been taken to link Chilavannur Bund Road with the Vyttila-Aroor NH 66 bypass, State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) Chairperson Alexander Thomas has said in an order.

All bottlenecks in linking the crucial road corridor with the NH bypass by widening a narrow 200-metre-long stretch must be cleared on an urgent basis, considering the necessity to streamline traffic flow, he ordered. The work to widen the road corridor began many decades ago.

However, the delay in widening the 200-metre narrow stretch hampered its extension to the NH bypass at Thykoodam. After registering a suo motu case, the Commission, at a sitting on October 17, issued an order directing that the stalled work resume to extend the road eastward and realise its potential to decongest S.A.

Road. A representative of the District Collector, the superintending engineer of the Kochi Corporation, and the town planner of the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) were among those who attended the sitting. The GCDA, which owns bund road, submitted that ₹15 crore was needed to acquire 60 cents of land for the extension.

Another ₹5 crore was required to complete the extension work. State government funding was therefore necessary. The GCDA had assured the Commission at the sitting that a decision would be taken as soon as the agency’s new governing council assumed charge.

The Corporation, too, made a similar submission and assured all help to complete the road. The Commission further directed the GCDA to submit its financial statements for the past five years. In addition, the LSGD must convene a meeting of the District Collector, the GCDA secretary and the Corporation secretary within a week, and a decision must be taken on the funding.

Steps must also be taken to expedite the formation of the GCDA’s governing council. The GCDA secretary must submit an additional report based on the Commission’s order. The Commission’s next hearing will be held at the PWD Rest House at Pathadipalam on December 15, according to a press release.

The Commission had in August directed the executive engineers of the GCDA and the Corporation to conduct a joint inspection of the road and submit a report to the District Collector. The Collector was also directed to submit an action plan to the Commission within six weeks, detailing, among other things, the estimated time required to complete the road widening.

The bund road runs largely parallel to the congested S.A. Road and has immense potential to decongest both S.A. Road and Vyttila Junction.