Thiruvananthapuram: After months of delay, two major infrastructure projects aimed at easing traffic congestion in Thiruvananthapuram, the Vattiyoorkavu junction and road development project and the Peroorkada flyover, are set to move into the construction phase. Officials said that tenders for both projects will open on Feb 17, and once the tender process is complete, preliminary construction activities are expected to start in the first week of March. Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan is likely to lay the foundation stone for the Vattiyoorkavu junction and road development project on Feb 22. The Kerala Road Fund Board (KRFB) is implementing the Vattiyoorkavu project, while the Roads and Bridges Development Corporation of Kerala (RBDCK) is executing the Peroorkada flyover.Vattiyoorkavu MLA V K Prasanth said the commencement of these long-pending projects marked a crucial step forward. “These projects directly affect thousands of daily commuters. With the tender process moving ahead and the foundation stone being laid, we are confident work will finally start on the ground, bringing lasting relief to traffic congestion in this part of the city,” he said.The Vattiyoorkavu junction and road development project involves widening and modernising a key arterial corridor connecting Sasthamangalam, Mannarakonam, Vattiyoorkavu, Peroorkada and Vazhayila. The road will be developed into a four-lane stretch with improved junction design, footpaths, drainage and street lighting. Land acquisition is largely completed, and rehabilitation measures, including a shopping complex for affected traders, are part of the plan. The project is expected to significantly improve traffic flow along one of the busiest east–west corridors in the city.A senior KRFB official said all technical formalities were being completed on schedule. “The tender will be finalised by the end of February. If there are no unforeseen hurdles, construction activities will begin in early March,” the official said.The Peroorkada flyover, also delayed for months, is designed to ease congestion at the heavily crowded Peroorkada junction, where multiple arterial roads converge. The flyover will extend towards Vazhayila, reducing travel time and improving connectivity to the city centre and eastern suburbs. Land acquisition and compensation have been completed, clearing a major bottleneck that stalled the project.Both projects, considered critical to improving urban mobility in the capital, faced repeated setbacks due to bureaucratic lethargy and procedural hurdles. .
