The inordinate delay in removing barricades around Kochi metro’s Kakkanad extension work sites, and the snarls on roads leading to Edappally Junction, have lately been contributing to massive and unmanageable traffic hold-ups across the city, according to citizens and traffic police officials.

Edappally has over time emerged as the epicentre of the snarls, with the congestion spilling over to the Edappally-Aroor NH Bypass and other key arterial roads in the city, said Sherif S., the Assistant Commissioner of Traffic, City Traffic Police (East).

“Among the reasons is that a good share of vehicles enter and exit from Lulu Mall through adjacent gates facing Edappally Junction on NH 544. It is high time that entry is permitted through one side and exit through the side facing NH 66. In addition, a foot overbridge will help ease traffic congestion in front of St. George Church on the western side of Edappally Junction,” he added.

The inadequate signboards and barricading around the National Highways Authority of India’s flyover work sites on either side of Edappally Junction have added to the chaos. Many trenches dug as part of the work must also be demarcated with reflective tapes and barricades to forewarn motorists. The slow pace of the work has further compounded the snarls, including on service roads along the Palarivattom-Edappally NH Bypass, he added.

On its part, Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) must reduce the extent of barricading at the metro’s Kakkanad extension work sites at Palarivattom, especially in front of St. Martin’s Church, where vehicles from the four-lane Edappally-Kaloor NH stretch merge with those coming from the NH Bypass and Palarivattom, Mr. Sherif said.

Expressing concern over worsening traffic hold-ups on either side of the metro rail work sites, C. J. Johnson, a commuter, said he had written to KMRL highlighting how even ambulances carrying patients are getting stranded due to delays in removing barricades.

“Even a five-minute traffic snarl can have catastrophic consequences in such cases. This is apart from the huge monetary loss due to time loss, fuel wastage, and the resulting pollution. The solutions include reducing barricaded space and relocating posts and other structures that hamper traffic flow,” he added.

Meanwhile, sources in KMRL said the agency was unable to execute several preparatory works before commencing the Kakkanad extension project to clear bottlenecks and relocate posts from the carriageway. “This was primarily because the State government failed to allot adequate funds for the purpose, including ₹8 crore sought by the metro agency over two years ago,” the sources added.

With complaints mounting over traffic snarls, efforts would be made to reduce the extent of barricades erected for the extension works, they said.