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Thokkottu: Traffic congestion continues to affect commuters at the busy Thokkottu junction on National Highway 66 in Ullal despite road development works carried out at a cost of nearly Rs 20 crore.

Though the road from Thokkottu junction to Chembugudde has been widened into a four-lane stretch, traffic jams at the junction have not reduced. Motorists and the public are facing frequent traffic blocks every day.

Thokkottu is one of the major junctions connecting rural parts of Ullal taluk. The area is witnessing rapid growth in education, healthcare, IT and industrial sectors as part of the Greater Mangaluru region.

The junction connects the Kerala-Mangaluru National Highway, the Thokkottu-Melkar State Highway and several village roads. The 4.5-km stretch from Thokkottu to Natekal has four hospitals and major educational institutions, resulting in heavy vehicle movement throughout the day.

Morning and evening hours witness severe congestion, causing hardship to office-goers, daily commuters and women travellers.

Residents and commuters pointed to several reasons behind the growing congestion:

• Poorly planned flyover construction by the highway authority
• Narrow service roads towards the Kerala side
• Vehicles from commercial complexes parked along service roads
• Service auto-rickshaws waiting for passengers near the junction curve
• Closure of the cross road connecting Bhatnagar and Ullal, forcing all vehicles travelling from Ullal to Kerala through Thokkottu junction
• Private and government buses stopping at the junction while travelling towards Kerala and Mangaluru
• Increasing number of auto-rickshaws parked irregularly at the Thokkottu auto stand

Locals suggested widening the service road between Thokkottu and Bhatnagar to improve traffic flow.

They also demanded reopening of the Bhatnagar-Ullal cross road and reducing vehicle speed on the flyover.

Residents proposed that buses heading towards Mangaluru should pick up passengers below the flyover, while buses going towards Talapady and Kumpala could stop near the Koragajjana Katte area along the service road.

People also called for limiting the number of auto-rickshaws at the Thokkottu auto stand and allowing the remaining vehicles to queue at the old check-post government land.

“Even though the problem has existed for many years, public representatives have not responded properly. They highlight road construction as an achievement, but the actual traffic issue remains unresolved,” said Yogeesh, a daily commuter.