A KSRTC bus breakdown on Gosree One Bridge in Kochi caused a long traffic queue on Friday night, disrupting vehicles travelling towards Vypin, Bolgatty, Container Road and High Court Junction during the evening rush.
The bus came to a halt on the Ernakulam-Bolgatty bridge at around 8 pm, according to a report by Mathrubhumi. The incident occurred during a busy period, leaving vehicles backed up across the bridge and surrounding approaches.
The queue extended beyond High Court Junction, while vehicles arriving from Container Road and Vypin were also caught in the congestion. The disruption affected traffic using the bridge as a key connection between the city-side road network and the Vypin area.
An ambulance that reached the affected stretch during the traffic buildup was given passage after police intervened and cleared a route, the report said. The incident brought attention to the limited options available to traffic when a vehicle becomes immobilised on the bridge during peak hours.
The Gosree bridge system is an important connection for residents, buses, goods vehicles and other road users travelling towards Vypin. A breakdown on the bridge can restrict movement across the entire approach because traffic has to pass through a confined corridor before reaching the city-side junctions. The reported queue also affected vehicles coming from more than one direction, including traffic from Container Road.
The disruption has renewed demands for a bridge to be constructed parallel to Gosree One Bridge. Supporters of the demand have argued that an additional crossing could help manage traffic and provide an alternative route when the existing bridge faces congestion or an obstruction.
The state budget had set aside Rs 1 crore for preliminary work related to the proposed parallel bridge, according to the report. Initial discussions have begun, but the project still requires the completion of further procedures and the securing of funds before construction can become a reality.
The report did not specify how long the bus remained on the bridge, when the obstruction was fully removed, or whether any injury was reported. It also did not provide details of a confirmed construction schedule for the proposed parallel bridge.
For now, the Friday night incident has ended as a traffic disruption, but the demand for a second bridge remains linked to the wider problem of maintaining reliable access between Kochi and Vypin. The next reported steps concern the completion of preliminary procedures and arrangements for funding the parallel bridge project.
