KOCHI: A large crater has reappeared on the MC Road near the Kacherithazham bridge in Muvattupuzha, causing a scare after a private school bus narrowly avoided a major accident.
The incident occurred around 9 am on Monday, when the road collapsed directly beneath the front wheel of the bus, which had halted there to pick up students.
The bus driver’s quick thinking led to the immediate evacuation of all children, who were then safely shifted to another vehicle. Muvattupuzha police arrived swiftly to manage the situation and removed the bus from the hazardous spot.
Officials from the Public Works Department and the Kerala Road Fund Board (KRFB) inspected the site and confirmed that the collapse created a crater approximately three metres in diameter. It is learnt that the road gave way due to soil subsidence over an old canal that runs beneath the road to the river.
This is the second such incident at the same spot, with an identical crater having formed on August 3, 2022. Although that collapse was patched up with concrete and tar, the area has now sunk again, raising concerns about the stability of the road in this busy area. The site is near a major bus stop for commuters heading to Perumbavoor, Ernakulam, and Kothamangalam.