KOCHI: As part of the traffic diversion through Pachalam, the iron barricades, which were once part of the old railway crossbars, were removed by railway authorities on Monday.The barricades were removed following the initiative taken by the city police as they were obstructing the free flow of traffic in the area. However, the four crossbars at Mathai Manjooran road, Chathiyath road, Lourde Hospital Road and the western side of Pachalam Junction, are yet to be removed.City Express had recently reported about the distress caused by the crossbars and the iron barricades to Pachalam residents. The crossbars had been a part of now-defunct Palakkad- Ernakulam Railway Goods station railway route. “The railway officials said they need directions from their superiors in Thiruvananthapuram to cut the crossbars. However, they have reduced the problem to a large extent by removing the barricades,” Traffic Police officials said. The Railways Sectional Engineer, who is in charge of the work, said sanction had been sought from higher officials in this regard. “We hope to get the permission soon. Anyway, the crossbars cannot be cut without halting the traffic for a minimum of 5 hours.So, it cannot be done when the level-crossing is closed. The sanction might be obtained by the time the work at the crossing is complete,” he added. Meanwhile, Antony Puthur, general secretary of Kochi Metro Janakiya Vikasana Samiti, said if the authorities were planning to stop the work with just removing the barricades, the residents of Pachalam would initiate strong protest measures. “The crossbars are in such a dangerous condition that they might fall any time,” he added.
Comments
0 comment