Highways authority to rectify 4 black spots on bypass in city

Thiruvananthapuram: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will undertake rectification of four black spots/accident spots in Thiruvananthapuram bypass section of NH-66. The work will be undertaken as part of annual road safety plan for 2023-24 in Kerala through an EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) contract.The estimated cost is Rs 98.05 crore and the completion period is one-and-a-half years. The maintenance period will be five years.The scope of work will broadly include rehabilitation, upgradation and augmentation of the rectification of four black spots/accident spots, on EPC Mode with construction of new pavement, rehabilitation of existing pavement, construction and/or rehabilitation of major and minor bridges, culverts, road intersections, interchanges, drains, etc. and maintenance of the project during the defect liability period, as per the project document.NHAI sources said that rectification works would be executed at Anayara, Enchakkal, Thiruvallam and Pazhayakada. A vehicular underpass having 20m width and 5.5m height to enable safe cross movement will be constructed at Anayara. Tendering process for the flyover is underway at Enchakkal.A service road bridge (SRB) will come up at Thiruvallam. This is being done to prevent the present, dangerous practice of vehicles travelling on the main carriageway in different directions. The officials said that once the bridge was constructed, people could use the service bridge, avoiding chances of accidents. The bridge will be 110m long, 5.5m wide and it will have a footpath having 1.5m width.A vehicular overpass (VOP) is being planned at Pazhayakada having a width of 14 m.Thiruvallom has become a ‘major’ accident black spot in the city, especially in the past one year. As many as 65 accidents had occurred within Thiruvallom police limits in 2022 in which 11 people were killed. The police have reported that 33 of these accidents occured on the highway claiming eight lives. Barely a week after the new year began in 2022, the stretch had witnessed five accidents in which one person was killed.A pedestrian lost life on the road on Saturday after being hit by a vehicle while crossing the road at Thiruvallam. This was the 115th pedestrian death in road accidents in the city in the last three years. As part of the construction of Enchakkal flyover and Thiruvallam bridge, the contractor will provide various project facilities like roadside furniture, street lighting, pedestrian facilities, landscaping, tree sapling plantation and traffic safety devices.