KOCHI: Over a month ago, Varghese and his wife met with an accident on the Goshree bridge. The culprit was a big pothole which was difficult to spot because the streetlights on the bridge weren’t working. It stays the same once night falls, it is usually too dark and the two bridges connecting Kochi city and Vypeen plunges into darkness making it difficult for motorists to spot any obstacle.
“It has been more than six months since any of these lights lit up,” said Varghese, a native of Vypeen. The bridge is a great relief for Vypeen residents but the authorities fail to ensure maintenance of the road and streetlights. Roads of the bridges have developed cracks, the tarring has worn out in most areas and there are deep potholes. Residents complain that despite multiple requests, the authorities haven’t responded.
“The authorities will take action only when another accident happens and someone gets hurt,” said a street vendor who has set shop under the bridge.
However, the Goshree Island Development Authorities (GIDA) officials said the dysfunctional street lights on the two bridges will be fixed by the end of January. “The street lights on the first bridge, from High Court towards Vypeen were repaired were functional in September. The remaining lights will be repaired by January,” said a GIDA official.
“The stretch has become a hotspot for accidents every day due to dysfunctional streetlights,” said Babu K, an autorickshaw driver. Though the High Court had ordered GIDA authorities to resolve the issue, there is hardly any consistency. When we approach them, they promise to repair it by next month. It keeps going like that,” he said.