Work on bridge makes life hell

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The construction of the bridge at Murinjapalam will test the patience of commuters in the city. Rush hours are utter chaos after the authorities started demolishing the old Murinjapalam bridge on Wednesday.Totally dilapidated, narrow roads, coupled with traffic congestion, are causing much hardship to the public. Above all, the commuters will have to suffer the situation for seven months or more. The Thiruvananthapuram Road Development Company Limited (TRDCL), concessionaire of the City Road Improvement Project (CRIP), has asked for 200 days’ time to complete the bridge works. However, the commuters are already fed up with the traffic snarls and poor condition of alternative roads. The alternative route allotted to people going to Medical College from Pattom are, Plamoodu - Aanadiyil hospital - Mulavana junction - Kannammoola - Kumarapuram route and Pottakuzhi - Goureeshapattam - Mulavana junction - Kannammoola route. Chalakuzhi route too has been provided. Traffic snarls have become a regular phenomenon in this area ever since the authorities started trial run from Saturday. Parvathy Nair, working at Murinjapalam, said the authorities must have improved the condition of alternative roads before taking up a long and tedious project. “Heard the works would take six months. Traffic congestion and poor condition of the roads are causing much hardship to the daily commuters. The traffic wardens posted at the stretch often fail to manage the traffic. These days, they are changing the route every now and then,” she said.“There are no adequate bus services on this stretch. The auto drivers too charge exorbitant rates,” she added.Kumarapuram-based Rasim Sha, an employee of Technopark, said he had to wait for nearly 30 minutes in the busy traffic before reaching office. “The Medical College-Ulloor road was already in a bad shape. Adding to the woes, the bridge work has created huge traffic snarls at the area. The office-goers have to spend 20-30 minutes more on the roads,” he added.Traffic ACP Mohanan said the TRDCL has asked for sanction of about 200 days. “There will be some traffic problems until the works are completed,” he said.