What’s wrong with the city’s roads? Nothing, if you ask officials of the Kochi Corporation, Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) and the Public Works Department (PWD). As far as the condition of roads under their jurisdiction is concerned, the officials claim everything is hunky-dory.
However, the reality is different. This was seen on Thursday when food delivery boy Yadhu Lal, 23, was crushed to death by a truck when he fell of his motorcycle after its handle hit an iron board placed over a hole on the road near Palarivattom.
The death has sparked a blame game between the departments concerned. However, none is ready to admit that the negligent attitude of the stakeholders tasked with the city’s development is the prime reason for such mishaps.
“All the roads under the corporation are well-repaired. Repairing of the Pandit Karuppan Road was delayed as the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) could not hand over the road after completing pipe-laying work. Then, due to heavy rain, tarring could not be carried out. Now, we have completed the rectification works,” said Ernakulam MLA T J Vinodh.
As for Thursday’s incident in which the youth died, a tussle between the KWA and PWD delayed the filling up of the pit, he said.
Yadhu’s death is not the first one caused by the bad condition of roads in Kochi in the past four months. On September 30, a youth who fell from his motorcycle after falling into a pothole near Elamkulam was crushed to death by a bus.
The Kaloor-Kadavanthra Road, which is under the GCDA, had been in bad shape for almost five months.
“We have filled the potholes on the road. Full-fledged repair will be carried out in one-and-half months,” said GCDA chairperson V Saleem.
What people say
Kochi denizens believe that the rectifications carried out recently are of low quality and will only provide temporary relief. “The road between Palarivattom junction and the flyover had been in a pathetic condition for the past few months. They have carried out a minor repair work now. The condition of the road deteriorates a day or two after the rectification work,” said Firoz Najeeb, a resident of Kakkanad.
‘Speed up land acquisition for Thammanam-Pulleppady road widening’
Kochi: Stating the road widening work of Thammanam-Pulleppady road was being held up due to delays in the land acquisition process, District Collector S Suhas said on Friday he would instruct the Kochi Corporation to provide a contingency fund to speed up the process. He was speaking after holding a meeting in connection with the issue. “The Public Works Department will be able to complete the road widening work only if the land acquisition is completed in a time-bound manner,” the collector said. A widened Thammanam-Pulleppady road will ease the traffic in the area, bringing much-needed relief to the commuters.