KOCHI: The stretch from Thammanam to Ponnurunni Bridge on the Mahakavi Vyloppilli Road is in a pathetic condition ever since it was dug for laying pipelines under AMRUT Project in April. The road’s condition has extremely worsened during the last three months and with the arrival of monsoon, accidents are a frequent fixture here. Potholes and uneven surface cause accidents and in many cases, severely damages the vehicles.
“While many motorists land in the potholes, a few others try to veer off the craters, losing control of the vehicle,” said Abdul, a resident. The bad state of the road also triggers health issues. “During peak hours, it is too dusty. This is troubling the residents and vendors. The pollution is so high that even the computers in shops are damaged,” he adds.
According to Aji Francis, councillor, Thammanam, road work has to be undertaken by the PWD. “We regularly contact the PWD officials, but they haven't responded well. The situation is so bad that accidents are a frequent occurence here. A lot of students depend on the road. We tried to convince the Kerala Water Authority, who dug up the road, to make temporary arrangements. However, they failed to respond. With the help of the PTA of the schools, we are planning to file complaints to MLA and the ministers. If nothing happens, we will move forward with the protest programme,” he said.
The stretch also faces a severe bottleneck, especially from 5 pm to 6 pm as auto and cab drivers use it as an easy route to reach Vyttila, avoiding the bypass.