Huge potholes and acute traffic snarls at Vyttila Junction and on roads leading to it have made commuting a nightmare for motorists and pedestrians. | Photo Credit: H_Vibhu more-in Fed up with the deteriorating traffic situation at Vytilla Junction following the ongoing construction of the flyover, private bus operators and employees are set to stage a dharna under the aegis of the Ernakulam District Private Bus Operators’ Association at the junction to draw the attention of the authorities to the pressing issue on Wednesday. Addressing a press conference here on Monday, office-bearers of the association clarified that they were not against the works related to the flyover and Kochi metro and were willing to fully cooperate with necessary traffic diversions to ease the situation but just wanted the authorities to take steps for improving the traffic scene. With the onset of monsoon, large potholes have formed along the roads at the junction reducing the traffic to snail’s pace and authorities have turned a blind eye to the need for urgent maintenance works, said K.B. Suneer, association general secretary. Though the association had initially planned a road blockade at the junction, it was dropped to avoid creating greater difficulties to the already suffering commuting public. The bus operators complained that the traffic congestion was forcing trip cancellations besides causing additional maintenance expenses. Buses damaged Damage to buses after falling into deep potholes has become far too frequent burdening them with extra cost towards maintenance and fuel consumption. “The emergence of vehicles to the highway from service roads is literally bringing traffic to a standstill. Though we had approached the authorities with the request to undertake road maintenance works before the onset of monsoon, it had gone unheeded,” said Mr. Suneer. The operators drew attention to the then transport minister’s announcement that the construction of the flyover will start on October 1, 2015, and will be wrapped up in one-and-a-half years. However, three years later, not even the piling works have not been completed, they said.

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