Kochi’s daily struggle has turned even short commutes into exhausting ordeals, leaving motorists frustrated and public transport delayed. 

Kakkanad–Palarivattom Road turns into a nightmare
Travel along the Kakkanad–Palarivattom stretch has become a harrowing experience for commuters, with pothole-ridden roads, poor width choking traffic flow.

The worst congestion is reported near Padamugal, where it takes a long time to cross even short distances. With barricades erected for the Kochi Metro construction, the road narrows drastically at this point and creates a major bottleneck.

This stretch, particularly between the Kunnumpuram pump junction and the Padamugal Masjid area, is riddled with potholes, slowing down traffic considerably. The situation worsens during rain.

Vehicles heading towards the Palachuvadu region are forced to take a diversion from Padamugal, while those returning enter the same point, leading to congestion. With vehicles moving in a single lane, any attempt to overtake worsens the block. Commuters are calling for better regulation, either by repositioning barricades or deploying traffic police, at key points.

Although the road has been cordoned off with barricades for metro work, there has been little visible progress. Many have demanded that the barricades be moved further inside to allow more road width for vehicles.

Traffic snarls are also intense at Vazhakkala and Chembumukku, where inner roads intersect with the Kakkanad main road. The problem is especially severe during peak morning and evening hours.With the reopening of schools, commuters fear that the traffic chaos is only going to get worse unless urgent intervention is made.

If interior roads are made more navigable, a significant volume of traffic could be diverted, easing congestion.

Further adding to the woes is the Seaport–Airport Road, especially near the Kakkanad stretch. Vehicles frequently come to a standstill or crawl slowly. The traffic block typically begins just after the Chithrapuzha bridge and if the congestion shifts to the other side, the backup starts as far back as Vallathol Junction.

Traffic woes mount in Aroor amid bridge’s deterioration
As vehicles are being rerouted through the Arookutty Bridge to facilitate the construction of the Thuravoor–Aroor elevated highway, the deteriorating condition of the bridge and surrounding roads has become a major concern for commuters.

The concrete deck of the Arookutty Bridge on the Aroor–Arookutty Road is in a visibly degraded state. Several concrete slabs on the bridge’s upper deck have been dislodged, exposing rusted metal rods. Even the footpath slabs are broken and uneven, posing safety hazards to pedestrians.

North-bound vehicles, including a large number of heavy goods trucks, are being diverted onto this bridge from the Aroor Temple Junction as part of the elevated highway construction. The dislodging of concrete blocks from the bridge, which now bears the brunt of thousands of vehicles daily, raises serious questions about the safety of commuters.

Inaugurated on March 26, 2002, the bridge has not undergone any systematic maintenance or repairs. With detour traffic expected to use the structure for at least three more years, urgent reinforcement and repairs are needed. The situation is compounded by poor lighting along the bridge at night, making it particularly dangerous for two-wheeler riders. There’s also increasing concern over waste being dumped from the bridge into the lake below.

Convent Road in Kumbalam turns risky
Commuting along the damaged Convent Road in Kumbalam has become increasingly dangerous, especially with the arrival of the monsoon. The narrow, which connects Maramath Road to the railway station, is riddled with potholes, many hidden under water. Unable to gauge their depth, several vehicles have already fallen into these potholes.

The traffic situation has worsened since the reopening of schools. The road, which also provides access to the Convent Nursery School, lacks sufficient width, making it impossible for two vehicles to pass simultaneously.

Ward member Simi Jobi confirmed that restoration work on the road will begin soon. A contract has been awarded following the allocation of ₹7 lakh by the Palluruthy Block Panchayat. She added that a proposal has been submitted to complete the work alongside the restoration of roads in other wards.

The secretary of the Palluruthy Block Panchayat has served a letter to the Kumbalam Panchayat Secretary, requesting the urgent repair of the Convent Road as a priority.

Road cut near railway crossing at Amballur
A deep cut in the road near the railway crossing at Naalumkoodiya Kala is posing a serious risk to commuters, especially motorcyclists. The hazard emerged following the recent relaying of the Amballur–Arakkunnam Road under BM and BC standards.

While the road was tarred and resurfaced, the stretch adjacent to the railway gate, which falls under the possession of the Railways, was left untouched. This has resulted in a height difference of nearly one foot between the tarred road and the portion near the gate, creating a sharp edge that endangers vehicles passing through, particularly two-wheelers.

Despite several accidents reported at the spot, no corrective action has been taken so far.