KOCHI: A Railways-owned plot near the Aluva station has become an unofficial waste dumping ground. The site, which is also used by commuters to park vehicles, has turned into an eyesore due to official apathy. According to passengers, the unhygienic conditions are worrisome, especially with the monsoon season about to set in.
“The open land, located just off the station road, is now strewn with plastic bags, rotting food waste, thermocol, broken furniture, and construction debris,” said Nithin R, a daily commuter, pointing towards the waste. “Every day, people dump loads of waste under the cover of darkness. The garbage piles have visibly grown over time, even after repeated complaints.”
Passengers said that they often have to search for a bit of clear space to park vehicles.
“Two-wheelers continue to line the clearer edges of the plot, which sadly is shrinking due to the growing waste pile,” said Sindhu P S, another passenger. She points out that Aluva railway station has no designated two-wheeler parking facility.
Commuters who travel long distances said they have little choice but to rely on this stretch of railway land. “We know it isn’t an authorised parking lot, but there’s no other option for us,” said Girish, a daily commuter to Ernakulam.
Shopkeepers and residents along the station road alleged the dumping is organised, not accidental. Several claimed to have witnessed small vehicles unloading waste late at night.
They blamed the absence of fencing or CCTV surveillance.
“It isn’t just household waste. Sometimes, waste from hotels or markets also gets dumped here,” Dinesh, a trader, said.
He added that the problem worsens during weekends. Autorickshaw drivers who park beside the dump said the situation has become unbearable. They cited foul smell, swarms of flies, and mosquitoes breeding in stagnant water collected in discarded containers.
Many fear a disease outbreak if the waste is not cleared before the monsoon intensifies.
“A waste dump this close to a major transit point is a clear public health hazard,” said another commuter, who did not want to be named.
Local representatives confirmed that complaints seeking waste removal and fencing have been forwarded to railway authorities multiple times but no action has been taken yet.