Safety concerns mount on ‘unlit’ Seaport-Airport Road

Kochi: The Seaport-Airport Road, a vital artery for Kochi's commuters and freight, has become a treacherous corridor as inadequate lighting and ongoing construction create a major road safety hazard. Despite its role as a primary link for thousands of IT professionals and long-distance heavy vehicles, significant stretches of the 11.3-km road remain plunged in darkness, leaving motorists to navigate perilously blind sections."Many stretches from Irumpanam are unlit. With road widening work currently in progress, there are sharp cuts on the road edges. Two-wheelers are caught unaware by these sudden drops, drastically increasing the risk of accidents," Anil Sreedhar, a software professional at Infopark Phase II, highlights the danger. The safety issue is compounded by a lack of clear administrative oversight. While Roads and Bridges Development Corporation of Kerala (RBDCK) completed the construction of the first phase from Karingachira to HMT Junction in 2003, the officials state that the 11.3-km stretch was handed over to public works department (PWD) for maintenance. "The shift in responsibility resulted in delays in critical repairs and infrastructure upkeep, such as the restoration of non-functional streetlights," V C Jayendran, convenor of Tripunithura Rajanagari Union of Residents' Association (TRURA) pointed out. The problem extends beyond the main corridor to feeder routes. "Even the NH 85 stretch leading from SN Junction to Seaport-Airport Road is shrouded in darkness. Though streetlights were installed at the flyover near Choice Tower, they remain non-functional. We've raised the issue with Tripunithura municipality, but to no avail," he remarked. Meanwhile, the widening of the two-way lane is progressing at many stretches, particularly in areas intersecting with Kochi Metro construction, bringing relief to the commuters. "The traffic flow is increasing daily. Fortunately, the widening at key chokepoints, specifically the stretch before special economic zone (SEZ), has mitigated the once-severe congestion that plagued the area," noted Anish Panthalani of Progressive Techies, a socio-cultural organisation of IT employees. The demand for proper maintenance comes even as RBDCK started the preliminary work of the long-awaited second phase of Seaport-Airport Road. The project, envisioned as a 25.7-km arterial link from Irumpanam to Cial, is being implemented in two phases. While the 11.3-km southern stretch from Irumpanam to Kalamassery was successfully commissioned back in 2003, the remaining 14.3-kilometer northern segment towards the airport got embroiled in administrative and legal hurdles.