THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Walking through the waterlogged pedestrian underpass near the Government UP School, Nemom, is a nightmare for commuters. The underpass served as an easier path for school children to cross the highway.
Concrete tanks were installed near the entrances of the underpass to store water collected in the underpass. They contained motors that would release water into the drains. However, the motors are dysfunctional, thereby leading to waterlogging in the area. This has resulted in rat bites and injuries among children.
School authorities said the glass windows near the exit points of the underpass were broken by anti-social elements about six months ago, thereby raising questions about security.
In addition, the lack of lighting inside the pedestrian underpass makes it difficult for the public, especially women pedestrians.
Vijayaraj P N, assistant engineer, Public Works Department, said: “We had inspected the area eight months ago. It was suggested that water should be pumped out to a low-lying area near the school compound to reduce waterlogging. As for the damaged motor pumps, they were not used on a regular basis.” The school authorities were in charge of pumping the water out.
Police officers said that they have not received complaints about anti-social elements and that they regularly inspect the area at night. A few residents suggested to create a slope on the concrete floor of the underpass to let water flow out.