Kochi: Traffic at Vyttila Junction, already strained by unscientific traffic planning and narrow roads, is further crippled by buses halting in the middle of the carriageway to pick up and drop off passengers. Private and KSRTC buses travelling from Aroor towards Kadavanthra beneath the flyover, as well as those heading in the opposite direction to Edappally via the national highway, routinely stop on the road instead of pulling into the designated bus bay, obstructing the flow of vehicles.

Although a bus stop is available, most buses avoid it because of heavy crowding. They often idle on the road for several minutes while passengers board, prompting other buses to stop behind them. As vehicles attempt to overtake the idling buses, those in the rear are also trapped in the bottleneck. The congestion peaks during the morning and evening rush hours.

With no proper footpath on this busy stretch, pedestrians are also put at risk. Installing barricades to ensure that buses halt only at the designated stop could ease the situation, but authorities have yet to implement such measures or deploy traffic wardens during peak periods.

A similar scenario plays out at the junction where vehicles from the SA Road turn towards Palarivattom. Even without a bus stop, heavy vehicles waiting for the Thripunithura-bound signal choke the stretch. As buses and other vehicles stop too far ahead on the left, those heading to Palarivattom are blocked from moving forward. The narrow road further worsens the gridlock on SA Road, while the absence of a footpath forces pedestrians onto the carriageway.

Adding to the chaos, long-distance buses park haphazardly in their rush to pick up or drop off passengers during mornings and late nights. Unauthorised parking by inter-State buses creates further obstruction near the Palarivattom- and Edappally-bound bus stops and at the turn leading to the Vyttila Mobility Hub. Residents say the practice of buses stopping on the road at Vyttila Junction must be curbed immediately.