Kozhikode’s traffic master plan remains on paper a year after proposal

A busy road in Kozhikode city (file) | Photo Credit: K Ragesh A year after the police initiated discussions to formulate a comprehensive traffic master plan for Kozhikode city in Keralam, the proposed initiative remains largely on paper, with no visible progress in its implementation. Despite growing concerns over recurring traffic congestion, inadequate parking facilities and mounting road accidents, the city continues to grapple with the same challenges that prompted the proposal.The ambitious plan, envisaging intelligent traffic control systems, modern parking solutions and scientific traffic management practices, was expected to bring a major transformation to the city’s increasingly strained road network. However, the lack of tangible follow-up action has raised questions about the commitment of the departments concerned to taking the project forward.“The proposal was originally presented by former Deputy Commissioner of Police Arun K. Pavithran at a district-level meeting chaired by the then Inspector General of Police (Traffic and Road Safety Management) S. Kaliraj Mahesh Kumar,” recalls a retired police officer who was earlier associated with the project. The meeting had brought together representatives of various government departments to discuss smoother traffic movement, road safety, model road development and innovative funding mechanisms for traffic modernisation, he adds.The plan was expected to be finalised with technical inputs from experts at the National Institute of Technology – Calicut, with support from the Public Works Department, District Planning Committee and Kerala Road Fund Board. However, there has been little indication of any concrete outcome from these proposed collaborations.“The urgency of the project remains undiminished. Kozhikode district had recorded 315 road accident fatalities from nearly 5,000 accidents in the year (2024) cited during the initial discussions,” says a trauma care volunteer in Kozhikode city.The recurring traffic bottlenecks at major junctions and the shortage of personnel to manage traffic manually have further exposed the limitations of the existing system, he points out.According to members of the Road Accident Action Forum, several proposals identified during the initial exercise continue to await implementation. These include adaptive traffic signal systems that adjust signal timings according to real-time traffic flow, AI-based surveillance cameras, improved road markings, cautionary lights and the realignment of accident-prone junctions, they claim.Satellite parking facilitiesJunctions along Mavoor Road, Eranhipalam and Thondayad were among the locations suggested for piloting adaptive traffic control systems. Experts had also stressed the need to identify and develop satellite parking facilities in the city and its suburbs to ease congestion caused by roadside parking.“With traffic density continuing to rise, the need for a coordinated, technology-driven approach has become more pressing. The police alone cannot resolve the problem without sustained financial and administrative support from the departments concerned,” says a traffic police officer who was part of the project discussions.He points out that the absence of visible progress a year after the initial discussions underscores the need to move beyond meetings and proposals. Published - November 10, 2026 03:52 pm IST