The amicus curiae appointed on road cases on Tuesday informed the Kerala High Court that traffic blocks on the Aroor-Thuravoor highway due to the construction of the elevated highway should be resolved by the district administration and the police authorities.
In a report filed before the court, the amicus curiae said the situation along the stretch was grim. Schoolchildren could be seen wading through slush or water. There are around nine schools in Aroor panchayat. The report said the amicus curiae had visited the 12.75-km stretch and met officials of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the contractor, Ashoka Buildcon. The hardship caused to the local people will be reduced if a minimum of 3.5-metre-width motorable road is laid in both directions and a pedestrian pathway, having a width of 1.5 metres, is laid along the stretch. The pedestrian pathway is laid for only around 1 km. The remaining stretch is yet to be completed. The work to lay a motorable road, having a width of 3.5 metres, is yet to begin.
The report suggested that measures to overcome waterlogging such as installation of pumps to drain out water and declogging drains should be undertaken.
