Natpac suggests steps for road development By Our Staff Reporter
THE HINDU
KOZHIKODE, APRIL 11. A report on Road Development and Traffic Operation plan for Kozhikode city, prepared by the National Transportation Planning and Research Centre (Natpac) in September 2004 and submitted to the City Corporation, has stressed that transportation and urban environment are linked with each other.
The study says that demand for transportation in Kozhikode has increased with urbanisation and increase in the number of motor vehicles plying on the roads. It also leads to traffic congestion on the roads, said N. Vijayakumar, Natpac team leader.
The resources for development at the disposal of the Corporation and other agencies are limited. So, in order to improve transportation facilities, compatibility should be maintained between the demand and supply of transport facilities within the town and environs.
Some of the improvement proposals include the shifting of existing bus stops to a minimum of 50 to 75 metres from the junction for smooth flow of traffic. The bus stops, which could be shifted are those at East Nadakkave on NH 212, MCC Bank on Kallayi Road, Pushpa Junction on Madhavan Nair Road, Chalappuram near the post office and Meenchanda on Bypass Road.
Setting up railing barriers and zebra crossings at Eranhipalam, East Nadakkave, MCC Bank, Pushpa junctions, guardrails at areas such as Malabar Christian College, Idiyankara HSS on Francis Road, West Nadakkave Government Girls High School are the other suggestions mentioned in the report.
Encroachments by roadside vendors at Palayam bus stand, English Church, I.G. Road, Bank Road-Mananchira footpath and Kallayi-Vattakinar Road should be avoided. The report stresses that the existing transportation facilities be utilised in an optimal manner.
A similar NATPAC study, `Comprehensive Traffic and Transportation Planning exercise,' was conducted in for Kozhikode in 1980-81.
The objective is to formulate short-term measures for traffic improvement and long-term road development plan.
The average journey speed with delay on National Highway 17, Indira Gandhi Road, Beach Road and Ram Mohan Road was found to be above 35 km an hour. It was between 30/34 km on the National Highway 212, Karaparamba-Kakkodi Road and Court Road.
On the arterial roads such as M.M. Ali Road, Pavamani Road, Malabar Christian College Road, YMCA Cross Road, Rajaji Road and Cherooty Road the journey speed during the peak hour was less than 20 km an hour.
Traffic volume
The analysis of traffic volume showed that of the 91,726 vehicles, more than 36 per cent were two-wheelers followed by cars and jeeps (22.4 per cent). Goods vehicles including goods autos comprised 16 per cent
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