The Smooth Shift: Transforming the LMS–Vellayambalam Corridor

To address persistent traffic congestion and improve road safety, the Kerala Road Fund Board (KRFB) has proposed a major upgrade of the LMS–Vellayambalam corridor in Thiruvananthapuram.

The plan focuses on easing traffic flow at the heavily congested Vellayambalam Junction, a key bottleneck where long queues during peak hours are common. Proposed measures include road widening, improved traffic signals and signage, and the deployment of additional personnel to better manage vehicular movement.

To guide the project with data-backed insights, KRFB has appointed the National Transportation Planning and Research Centre (Natpac) to carry out a detailed traffic and safety study. The assessment will evaluate traffic volume, pedestrian activity, signal performance, and accident trends along the corridor.

According to S Shaheem, principal scientist at Natpac, the study will identify key congestion points and recommend practical engineering and traffic management solutions suited to urban conditions.

Vellayambalam Junction is among the busiest intersections in the city, handling heavy traffic volumes daily. Earlier interventions, including smart signal systems such as vehicle-actuated Wi-TraC, have not fully resolved congestion due to increasing vehicle numbers and changing traffic patterns.

KRFB officials said that final plans will be shaped after Natpac’s findings are incorporated into a detailed project report (DPR), which will define technical specifications, costs, and execution strategies.

Asok Kumar M, CEO of KRFB, noted that the project is still in its early stages and that implementation timelines will depend on the study’s outcomes. If approved, work could begin as early as September.

The LMS–Vellayambalam stretch is being developed as a pilot project. If successful in reducing congestion and enhancing safety, similar upgrades could be extended to other key roads in the city. The corridor is also part of earlier initiatives like the Thiruvananthapuram City Road Improvement Project (CRIP), which focused on modernising major urban roads.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.