The old Marthanda Varma Bridge in Aluva has been closed for repairs from Wednesday, October 28, until November 6, forcing traffic authorities to introduce temporary arrangements on the bypass and divert vehicles through the new bridge. The closure is expected to intensify congestion in Aluva, where traffic delays are already reported during daytime hours.
Vehicles travelling from the Market flyover towards Angamaly have been directed to turn right and use the new Marthanda Varma Bridge. To enable the diversion, a section of the median on the main road has been removed. The median at the point where the parallel road in front of the market joins the National Highway has also been dismantled.
Vehicles travelling from Angamaly towards Ernakulam will have to cross the bridge and then proceed through the area near the police traffic control camp before entering the flyover. The route had been overgrown and was cleared using a JCB to make it usable for the temporary traffic arrangement, according to the report by Mathrubhumi.
The changes are intended to maintain movement while the old bridge remains unavailable. Although Aluva has two bridges in the area, traffic congestion is already a regular daytime problem, with vehicles taking considerable time to travel in both directions along the National Highway.
The temporary arrangement will place two-way traffic on the new Marthanda Varma Bridge during the repair period. The prospect of concentrating traffic on the newer bridge has raised concern among members of the public and the police, the report said. The likely pressure point is the approach network around the market, bypass and flyover, where vehicles will have to merge and change direction within a limited road space.
The closure is also affecting daily commuting decisions. Some people who travel to Aluva for work from other areas said they planned to take Wednesday off because of the expected traffic conditions. They said they would assess the situation and return to work in the following days.
The repair-related closure is scheduled to continue through November 6. During this period, commuters will need to follow the temporary directions issued for the bypass, the new bridge, the police traffic control camp and the flyover approaches.
