more-in Traffic in the city turned nightmarish on Friday after movement of vehicles along the busy Kaloor junction was completely banned after the shoring piles for the basement of an upcoming building adjoining the road collapsed on Thursday night. The road had developed a slant and unevenness, and a few tiles had come unstuck, all presumably in the impact of the collapse. Hence, it was decided to ban traffic along Kaloor and Judges Avenue junctions till the fitness of the stretch was reaffirmed. Vehicles headed from the city to the Palarivattom direction were made to take a left turn at Judges Avenue Junction to enter the main road just behind to reach Kaloor junction through Kaloor Market Road. The police had put up a barricade at Kaloor junction, blocking off traffic in the opposite direction, and vehicles were diverted left to the Kaloor-Kadavanthra road. They then took the right turn to Sebastian Road to emerge at Judges Avenue Junction. With vehicles emerging from Pottakkuzhi road also following the same route, traffic along the Kaloor-Kadavanthra road up to Sebastian Road proceeded in a snail’s pace. The story was no different along Sebastian Road either. While buses followed these routes, smaller vehicles explored other narrow interior roads in the region, thus exceeding their holding capacities. These diversions also had a cascading effect on the roads on both sides leading up to Kaloor with hectic traffic experienced as far back as Palarivattom and North. The diversions also caused much confusion for motorists and commuters depending on public transport alike as they were seen constantly approaching police personnel deployed in the area asking for directions. For commuters already reeling under traffic logjams owing to the ongoing construction of a flyover at Vyttila, the traffic diversions turned out to be a double whammy. Metro resumes services Meanwhile, the Kochi metro resumed normal services up to Maharaja’s station at 2 p.m. Till then, services were operated only between Aluva and Palarivattom as the collapse had taken place close to metro pillars at Kaloor. Normal services were resumed after conducting all requisite tests and trial run without passengers to ensure the safety of metro infrastructure. The Kochi metro had suspended a few services on Thursday night soon after the collapse was reported before roping in track experts in the night itself for necessary checks. “We have not imposed speed restrictions on metro trains since all safety precautions are in place. The foundation of all metro pillars in the area is safe,” said a spokesperson of Kochi Metro Rail Limited.

Stay updated with all the Latest Kochi headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.