The Kerala High Court has directed the State government, the Transport Commissioner and the others concerned to take steps to decongest the East Fort area in Thiruvananthapuram, and to augment pedestrian safety measures in the premises.
A Division Bench of Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Basant Balaji was acting on a PIL that sought measures to improve the pedestrian pathway and safety measures in East Fort, which has among others, a busy bus stand used daily by thousands of commuters. The court said that signages, and footpath tiles have to be repaired or replaced in four months time, while pedestrian guard rails ought to be erected in six months. The process to build two additional foot overbridges must be initiated in two months.
The long term measures that the court directed include the relocation of the bus stand and the removal of encroachments.
The PIL sought directions to the State government and to the Transport Commissioner, to implement a proposal submitted by NATPAC and Thiruvananthapuram Road Development Corporation Ltd (TRDCL) to install three foot overbridges having escalators, for easy and safe movement of pedestrians and vehicles in the congested area.
The other demands in the petition included a direction to the State Government to initiate urgent steps to widen the road, by acquiring land located behind the bus stand. The need for continuous pedestrian guard rails along footpaths on both sides of the road with two openings was stressed.
