KRFB Plans Revamp of LMS-Vellayambalam Road.

To tackle chronic traffic congestion and improve road safety, the Kerala Road Fund Board (KRFB) has proposed a comprehensive overhaul of the busy LMS-Vellayambalam corridor in Thiruvananthapuram.

The initiative aims to streamline vehicular movement at the heavily congested Vellayambalam Junction, where long queues and bottlenecks during peak hours have been a persistent challenge for commuters. Planned interventions include road widening, upgraded traffic signals and signage, and the deployment of additional personnel to manage traffic flow more efficiently.

To ensure a data-driven approach, KRFB has engaged the National Transportation Planning and Research Centre (Natpac) to conduct a detailed traffic and safety study. The assessment, scheduled later this month, will examine traffic volume, pedestrian movement, signal efficiency, and accident patterns.

S Shaheem, principal scientist at Natpac, said, “Our team will conduct a comprehensive inspection of the LMS-Vellayambalam stretch. The report will identify critical pressure points and recommend practical engineering and traffic management solutions tailored to urban conditions.”

Vellayambalam Junction is one of the city’s most traffic-intensive intersections, with thousands of vehicles during peak hours. Previous measures, including advanced signal systems like vehicle-actuated Wi-TraC, have failed to fully alleviate congestion due to rising vehicle numbers and evolving traffic patterns.

KRFB officials emphasized that final plans will be developed only after incorporating Natpac’s recommendations into a detailed project report (DPR), which will outline technical specifications, cost estimates, and implementation strategies.

Asok Kumar M, CEO of KRFB, told TOI, “The initiative is still in its early stages. The way forward will depend entirely on the findings and recommendations in Natpac’s report. Once the DPR is prepared and approved, we expect to move into the implementation phase. Work could begin by September, if everything proceeds as planned.”

The LMS-Vellayambalam corridor is being treated as a pilot project. KRFB sources said that if the modifications successfully reduce congestion and improve safety, similar interventions may be implemented on other key city roads.

The stretch forms part of earlier city road improvement efforts, including the Thiruvananthapuram City Road Improvement Project (CRIP), which focused on widening and modernizing major urban corridors.