Kerala clears ₹10 crore to fix uneven S.A. Road stretch in Kochi
Kerala Finance department sanctions ₹10 crore for rectifying hazardous undulations on S.A. Road in Kochi, as directed by the High Court.
The Kerala government has decided to release ₹10 crore to the Kochi Corporation for repairing a 3.10-km stretch of Sahodaran Ayyappan (S.A.) Road, from Vytila metro station to Manorama Junction. The Finance department informed the Kerala High Court that the funds will be transferred once the Corporation completes the required procedural formalities to begin the work.
The assurance came during a hearing on a public interest litigation filed by Pauly Vadakkan, a Kadavanthra resident, highlighting hazardous conditions along metro corridors. The petitioner pointed out that sinking road surfaces near metro pile caps had caused accidents and even loss of life.
The court had earlier directed the State to identify, level, and permanently rectify all uneven surfaces and protrusions around metro pillars in the city. It also ordered installation of safety measures such as high-visibility warning signs, reflective markers, rumble strips, and impact-absorbing barriers at dangerous spots.
An expert committee constituted by the Corporation conducted a safety audit along the metro corridor and found that road undulations were caused by settlement of the carriageway. The committee recorded level differences of up to 300 mm at certain points on S.A. Road, severely affecting riding quality and safety.
Based on the audit, an estimate of ₹10 crore was prepared using Ministry of Road Transport and Highways specifications, including GST, contractor’s profit, and overheads. The proposed work involves scraping old asphalt, filling low spots, levelling uneven ground, and laying fresh asphalt layers to ensure a uniform surface. A new top layer will be applied across the full carriageway on both sides of the median. Thermoplastic road markings and reflective road studs will also be installed to improve safety and riding comfort.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice V.M. Syam Kumar directed the Corporation to file a report on the steps taken to commence the work by September 16.