Kozhikode: Vehicle access to the Kozhikode railway station will be rearranged from December 10. Private vehicles will now enter from the side of the ATM counter building, near the Annie Hall Road Junction. The exit will be from the southeast side of the station, near Sangam Theater.

The current main entrance will be closed, and the entrance near the prepaid counter will be designated for auto-rickshaws. This decision was made following a meeting chaired by the District Collector on Wednesday, which included railway engineers, corporation engineers, PWD road engineers, and police officials.

Concerns over increased traffic congestion

The closure of the main entrance, without completing necessary procedures, is expected to worsen traffic congestion. With only a week left to implement the new arrangements, the situation may be further complicated by ongoing sewerage maintenance on Annie Hall Road.

This work, being carried out on a narrow road, is expected to worsen congestion in the area. Additionally, the exit near the banyan tree, between Sangam Theater and the Annie Hall Road junction, will likely cause further traffic issues. 

The police have also raised concerns about the lack of proper lighting in this area, which could lead to safety problems.

Another issue is the limited space for auto-rickshaws near the prepaid counter. With multiple trains arriving at once, the space may not be sufficient to accommodate the increased number of auto-rickshaws, further contributing to traffic jams.