The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is installing metal beam crash barriers along elevated stretches of the NH 66 bypass in Kochi to reduce the risk of vehicles leaving the carriageway, while residents near Kumbalam have raised concerns that the new barriers restrict direct access to the highway.
The barriers are being installed mainly on approach roads leading to bridges at Kumbalam, Kundannoor and Nettoor, according to a senior NHAI official. The official said the semi-rigid steel systems are intended to absorb energy during crashes, prevent vehicles from veering towards steep drops, reduce the risk of head-on collisions at medians and shield traffic from roadside hazards such as bridge piers and utility poles.
Other safety work has also been completed along the section between Kumbalam and Vyttila. Blinkers and median markers have been installed at junctions and median openings, while road signs and pavement markings have been completed. The NHAI official said the measures would soon be extended to Edappally.
The safety installations have not been received uniformly by local residents. People living near the Kumbalam approach road said the barriers had blocked their earlier route to the highway. Local resident Sudarshan P. said residents now had to walk an additional 500 metres to reach the highway.
Pedestrian movement is another concern along the bypass. The NHAI official said the authority was attempting to prevent dangerous road crossings, particularly at locations such as Nettoor, and urged pedestrians to use dedicated foot overbridges or zebra crossings. The official said speeding vehicles made unauthorised crossings particularly risky.
At Vyttila junction, a 200-metre drain has been constructed to prevent waterlogging. State authorities have also initiated development measures aimed at easing congestion at the busy junction. The drainage work forms part of the wider set of interventions being undertaken around the bypass and its connecting roads.
Motorists, meanwhile, have reported difficulty at both ends of some bridges because of uneven slopes formed by soil settlement beneath bridge structures. Although the affected surfaces have been tarred, motorists said the repairs had not resolved the problem. A high-level team has studied the issue, but the report does not specify the team’s findings or the timeline for further corrective work.
The ongoing work illustrates the operational challenge of improving safety on an elevated urban highway while maintaining access for adjoining communities. NHAI’s next stated step is to extend the safety measures to Edappally, while the slope-related issue remains under consideration after the high-level team’s assessment.
