KOCHI: With a major part of the work to convert the Vallarpadam ICTT-Kalamassery Road into four lanes having been completed, the drivers are a confused lot. With only two lanes being open to traffic, and there being no proper sign boards either, accidents are beginning to show up.As it is, vehicles are using lanes on either side of the median to travel in the eastern direction, towards Kalamassery, from regions around Cheranelloor. Meanwhile, vehicles coming from Kalamassery, sighting traffic flowing through the other side of the median, are moving freely along the already commissioned lanes. That is until they are forced to apply brakes suddenly when vehicles come up opposite along the same lane. On Monday, the drivers of a goods carrier and a car escaped with minor injuries after a collision resulting from a similar confusion.If things continue in the same vein, it is sure to be an open invitation to fatalities. “The lack of signboards is a problem,” Assistant Commissioner (Traffic East) Baby Vinod told City Express.“The accident rate has been considerably less on the ICTT Road. But since the two additional lanes have been completed in certain areas, it could become a problem if people use both sides. People have to be careful while driving along the stretch. We will take up the matter with the NHAI (the owner of the ICTT Road),” he said. When contacted, NHAI project director C T Abraham said:“The additional lanes have been completed along the stretch from Moolampilly to Kalamassery. It is basically meant for the movement of materials. We cannot block the passage as vehicles of both the NHAI and the GAIL need to transport materials for the construction work in progress. The public is not supposed to use the additional lanes. If accidents are happening, it is the mistake of careless and illegal driving.”He added that the two additional lanes of the ICTT-Kalamassery Road would be opened for traffic only by December or January next year.
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