The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is installing metal beam crash barriers along elevated stretches of the NH 66 bypass in Kochi to reduce the risk of vehicles leaving the carriageway. Residents near Kumbalam, however, have raised concerns that the installations restrict direct access to the highway.

The barriers are being placed mainly on approach roads leading to bridges at Kumbalam, Kundannoor and Nettoor. NHAI said the semi-rigid steel systems are designed to absorb crash energy, prevent vehicles from veering towards steep drops, reduce the risk of head-on collisions at medians and shield traffic from bridge piers and utility poles.

Additional safety work has been completed between Kumbalam and Vyttila, including the installation of blinkers and median markers at junctions and median openings. Road signs and pavement markings have also been completed, with the measures scheduled to be extended to Edappally. Residents near the Kumbalam approach road said the barriers had blocked their earlier route, requiring some people to walk an additional 500 metres to reach the highway.

Pedestrian movement remains another concern along the bypass. NHAI is seeking to prevent dangerous crossings, particularly near Nettoor, and has advised pedestrians to use dedicated foot overbridges or zebra crossings because of speeding traffic. At Vyttila junction, a 200-metre drain has been constructed to prevent waterlogging, while State authorities have initiated measures to ease congestion around the junction.

Motorists have also reported difficulty at both ends of some bridges because soil settlement has created uneven slopes beneath the structures. Although the affected surfaces have been tarred, motorists said the repairs had not resolved the problem. A high-level team has examined the issue, but its findings and the timeline for further corrective work have not been specified. NHAI’s next stated step is to extend safety measures to Edappally while the slope-related problem remains under consideration.