Delay in resuming Enchakkal flyover work worsens traffic woes

Thiruvananthapuram: The prolonged delay in resuming construction of Enchakkal flyover has turned one of the busiest stretches in the state capital into a daily bottleneck, leaving motorists and commuters stranded in long queues and raising concerns over when the long-awaited project will be completed.Traffic congestion intensified over the past several weeks, particularly during peak morning and evening hours, with vehicles often crawling through serpentine queues stretching from Chackai to Enchakkal and beyond. Commuters travelling towards the city centre, the airport, Shanghumugham, Kovalam and Vizhinjam were the worst affected, with many reporting delays of more than 30 minutes to negotiate the congested junction.Construction work was temporarily halted after National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) decided to redesign the approach roads by replacing the originally proposed retaining walls with four additional spans (supporting pillars) on either side of the flyover. The revision was made following safety concerns arising from retaining wall failures reported at other highway projects in Kerala.With the southwest monsoon now active, commuters fear the situation could worsen further as rain slows construction activity and creates additional traffic disruptions.

An NHAI official said discussions would be held with the contractor at the earliest to expedite the remaining work.“The revised design has already been approved, and we will soon hold discussions with the contractor to fully resume construction. Since the monsoon has set in, the pace of work will naturally be affected, and we expect the remaining works to take around six months. Our priority is to complete the project without compromising structural safety and quality,” the official said.The Rs 47-crore flyover project is being executed by Cherian Varkey Constructions Ltd and is intended to eliminate one of the most congested junctions on NH 66 corridor. While the main flyover structure has largely been completed, the approach roads, drainage network, lighting and other ancillary works remain pending.The revised design was approved earlier this year after NHAI engineers decided to strengthen the approaches by introducing additional supporting pillars instead of retaining walls.

The change is expected to improve long-term structural stability, particularly in view of Kerala’s heavy rainfall and soil conditions.Enchakkal junction serves as a major gateway connecting East Fort, Vallakadavu, Attakulangara and Pettah with Shanghumugham Airport, Kovalam and Vizhinjam Port. Heavy traffic, including passenger vehicles, buses and container trucks, passes through the junction every day, making it one of the busiest intersections in the capital.