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INFRASTRUCTURE TICKER TAPE

KRFB PLANS REVAMP OF LMS-VELLAYAMBALAM ROAD. intensive intersections, with thousands of vehicles during peak
To tackle chronic traffic congestion and improve road safety, the hours. Previous measures, including advanced signal systems
Kerala Road Fund Board (KRFB) has proposed a comprehensive like vehicle-actuated Wi-TraC, have failed to fully alleviate
overhaul of the busy LMS-Vellayambalam corridor in congestion due to rising vehicle numbers and evolving traffic
Thiruvananthapuram. patterns.
The initiative aims to streamline vehicular movement at the KRFB officials emphasized that final plans will be developed only
heavily congested Vellayambalam Junction, where long queues after incorporating Natpac’s recommendations into a detailed
and bottlenecks during peak hours have been a persistent project report (DPR), which will outline technical specifications,
challenge for commuters. Planned interventions include road cost estimates, and implementation strategies.
widening, upgraded traffic signals and signage, and the Asok Kumar M, CEO of KRFB, told TOI, “The initiative is still in its early
deployment of additional personnel to manage traffic flow more stages. The way forward will depend entirely on the findings and
efficiently. recommendations in Natpac’s report. Once the DPR is prepared
To ensure a data-driven approach, KRFB has engaged the and approved, we expect to move into the implementation
National Transportation Planning and Research Centre (Natpac) phase. Work could begin by September, if everything proceeds
to conduct a detailed traffic and safety study. The assessment, as planned.”
scheduled later this month, will examine traffic volume, The LMS-Vellayambalam corridor is being treated as a pilot
pedestrian movement, signal efficiency, and accident patterns. project. KRFB sources said that if the modifications successfully
S Shaheem, principal scientist at Natpac, said, “Our team will reduce congestion and improve safety, similar interventions may
conduct a comprehensive inspection of the LMS-Vellayambalam be implemented on other key city roads.
stretch. The report will identify critical pressure points and The stretch forms part of earlier city road improvement efforts,
recommend practical engineering and traffic management including the Thiruvananthapuram City Road Improvement
solutions tailored to urban conditions.” Project (CRIP), which focused on widening and modernizing
Vellayambalam Junction is one of the city’s most traffic- major urban corridors.

GOVT CLEARS `23,437 CRORE RAILWAY EXPANSION Spanning 19 districts across Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan,
PROJECT ACROSS SIX STATES. Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana,
The Union Cabinet recently approved three railway multi-tracking the projects are expected to benefit around 4,161 villages
projects worth `23,437 crore aimed at decongesting key routes with a combined population of nearly 83 lakh. They will also
and expanding network capacity, Information and Broadcasting improve rail connectivity to key tourist destinations, including the
Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said. Mahakaleshwar Temple, Ranthambore National Park, Keoladeo
The approved projects include the Nagda–Mathura line, the National Park, and Mathura.
Guntakal–Wadi third and fourth line expansion, and the Burhwal– According to the government, the capacity expansion will
Sitapur third and fourth line expansion. Together, these projects support the movement of essential commodities such as coal,
will add approximately 901 kilometres to the Indian Railways cement, foodgrains, and steel, while enabling additional freight
network. traffic of about 60 million tonnes per annum.
The government said the projects are part of the PM Gati Shakti The ministry added that the enhanced rail infrastructure will
National Master Plan and are designed to improve multi-modal help reduce logistics costs, cut oil imports by an estimated 37
connectivity, streamline rail operations, and enhance service crore litres, and lower carbon emissions by around 185 crore
reliability across the network. kilograms—equivalent to planting nearly 7 crore trees.

42 CONSTRUCTION OPPORTUNITIES|APRIL 2026