KOCHI: With the commuting through traffic snarls at Vyttila junction turning out to be a nightmare for motorists, the district administration along with public works department have decided to relay roads by using interlocking tiles.The height and width of the service roads from Kundanoor Junction to Vyttila Junction would also be increased on a war-footing. PWD officials said that they were planning to raise the level of this service road to make it at par with the national highway. The officials said once this work was completed, vehicles would be able to smoothly commute through this stretch.The decision was taken at a meeting held between district collector K Mohammed Y Safirulla and PWD principal secretary Kamala Vardhana Rao in Kochi on Saturday.The width of the service road linking Vyttila hub via Ponnurunni underpass will also be increased and interlocking tiles will be laid along this stretch.PWD principal secretary Kamala Vardhana Rao said he had directed the PWD department to relay the potholes at Vyttila and Kundanoor junctions using granular subbase (GSB) and wet mix macadam (WMM). “Since it is rainy season it is almost impossible to tar the roads. So as an alternative we have recommended the use of these materials,” said a PWD official. Rao also said that arrangements should be made to facilitate smooth vehicle movement at all roads located near major traffic signals. A senior official with PWD (NH) wing said they have been asked to address the issue of potholes on all major roads by laying interlocking tiles.District collector and the PWD secretary along with officers of police and motor vehicle departments visited both the road junctions to review the construction work of flyovers. Earlier this week, the traffic police had alleged that PWD is unnecessarily delaying works to fill the potholes on the NH Bypass and service roads. According to the police, despite repeated reminders the PWD has not taken any action to repair roads. A senior traffic police officer said over a dozen vehicles were trapped for several hours in the slushy service roads recently.Usha Mani, a 60-year old woman, who had a tough time walking through the Ponnurunni underpass to reach Vyttila Junction said the muddy waters accumulated in the potholes get splashed over pedestrians as they walk through this stretch.Motorists heading to parking areas near Vyttila mobility hub said that they had to spend more than 45 minutes to reach the cross the road at the junction.

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