Faced with the prospect of traffic snarls in the city worsening due to narrow, non-existent, or encroached upon free-left turns at junctions, the Traffic Regulatory Committee (TRC) has decided to take up the matter at its monthly meeting in November, it is learnt.
This comes in the wake of complaints from road users and enforcement personnel about the Public Works department (PWD), National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), and civic agencies failing to ensure unhindered free left turns at junctions on arterial and other roads. The worst part is that traffic police cabins obstruct free left turns and footpaths at many junctions. The Tripunithura Rajanagari Union of Residents Association (TRURA) had earlier this year demanded wider bell mouths and free left turns on Pettah-SN Junction road that was renovated by Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) as part of the metro’s Thripunithura extension.
The TRC in its October sitting had expressed angst at haphazard parking causing traffic snarls and accidents. The body has the Mayor, chairman of the Kochi Corporation’s Town Planning Standing Committee, Fort Kochi Revenue Divisional Officer, two Assistant Commissioners of Police (traffic police) and officials representing the Motor Vehicles department (MVD), PWD, Kerala State Electricity Board and the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) as stakeholders.
The scientist in charge of the Kochi regional centre of the National Transportation Planning and Research Centre (NATPAC), Anish Kini, said there was little space taking free left at most junctions in the city since encroachments, flex boards, and auto, taxi and bus stands blocked them. He hoped that efforts to widen Collectorate Junction would help ready wider bell mouth for free left turn.
SCMS Institute for Road Safety and Training (SiRST) director Adarsh Kumar Nair rued that proper free left turns were missing at most junctions in the city and suburbs owing to inadequate planning. “Agencies that design and build roads must give due attention to developing wide junctions, depending on the expected traffic volume, failing which vehicles that ought to go straight are likely to block the space meant for vehicles turning left. On its part, the TRC must study the geometry and traffic volume of each junction and take steps to ready wide free left turns, while motorists must keep the left side of junctions free for those taking a left turn,” he said.
The situation in Kochi is such that a lone two-wheeler rider can block the space or lane that is meant for vehicles taking free left, said Sibi Mathai, a road safety vlogger. Such spaces must be marked so that straight-going vehicles will not wait there for the green signal. In addition, personnel of MVD and police must strictly penalise motorists who block this path at junctions, since home guard personnel who man many junctions have constraints in enforcing rules. These measures will help faster travel in the city, he added.
A senior MVD official said traffic flow at junctions could be streamlined if obstacles, including traffic police cabins, were relocated, if need be, through minimal land acquisition. The Kerala High Court has been frequently issuing directions to ensure wide free left turns.
Three lanes
Sources in the traffic police said police cabins could be relocated if land was made available. “On an average, each junction must have at least three lanes on either side, so that the one on the left can be used as free-left. This part, shifting of bus and auto stands will help lessen snarls at junctions. A comprehensive study with the technical help from NATPAC will help,” they added.
