Protruding posts, ad boards choke Kochi junctions, endanger commuters

Kochi Corporation’s digital advertisement boards protrude into the road at Manorama Junction.

Posts, advertisement boards, transformers and other structures that protrude into the carriageway and free-left turns are causing severe traffic bottlenecks at numerous junctions in Kochi.

The obstructions and safety risks they pose to motorists and pedestrians have led to widespread demands for their relocation.

Recalling an accident he witnessed recently at Vyttila Junction, Girijavallabhan P.M., an Eroor-based lawyer and socio-environmental activist, narrated how an inter-State luxury bus rammed into a steel post protruding into the carriageway at the free-left turn from Vyttila towards the Vyttila Mobility Hub. “A serpentine queue of vehicles formed in different directions, as it took over 15 minutes to retrieve the bus, whose rear wheels had become trapped against the post and its concrete base. A similar cable-free post protrudes into the extremely narrow carriageway of the road on the other side. An illegal auto stand makes matters worse for road users,” he added.

Echoing this view, K.S. Dileep Kumar, president of Ernakulam Vikasana Samity, said that electric posts and those belonging to private telecom firms pose safety hazards and obstruct the free movement of vehicles and pedestrians at almost all junctions and at the entrances to side roads in the city. “Making matters worse, Kochi Corporation is installing digital master boards to display advertisements at key junctions. These very tall and wide boards further block Kochi’s already bottlenecked junctions, while also creating ‘blind spots’ by hampering the view of drivers and pedestrians.”

Such boards now adorn even junctions on M.G. Road, including Madhava Pharmacy Junction and Rajaji Road, he added. Mr. Kumar recently submitted a complaint to Kochi Corporation about the issue and about bus shelters and bunk shops that occupy the entire width of footpaths, forcing pedestrians to walk along the road.

The Corporation responded that steps would be taken to remove or relocate such boards if they impeded traffic movement.

Mayor V.K. Minimol said that posts and other structures obstructing traffic at Vyttila would be removed under a ₹1.50-crore project to decongest the junction. On complaints about advertisement master boards, P.M. Naseema, chairperson of the Kochi Corporation’s Town Planning standing committee, said officials had conducted inspections at many such sites. She assured that follow-up action would be taken.