KOCHI: P Vallon was a Pulaya community leader who went on to become a legislative council member in the erstwhile state of Cochin. In honour of his struggle for social uplift, a vital link road that connects Kadavanthra junction to Girinagar, Panampilly Nagar, Kochu Kadavanthra, Kundannoor and Thevara goes by his name.
Today, sadly, its shoddy condition and the official apathy reflect dishonour to the social reformer and his ideals. Daily, thousands of motorists and pedestrians use the 1.5km KP Vallon Road, which has been in disrepair for over six months.
“Dug-up stretches on this busy short-cut route has become like an off-road racetrack, ideal for adventure rides,” fumes businessman Mathew Moozhayil Joseph, who is part of a nearby residents’ association. “Can’t the authorities do some temporary patchwork, at least? Imagine the daily cumulative cost due to fuel wastage and damage to vehicles.”
Another resident of the area, Shanti S, says it’s “scary” to walk on the road. “I hold my daughters close and tight when we take this road,” says the homemaker. “One has to be wary of the potholes and stones, and the traffic as well. Two-three times I have lost balance, and almost fallen on the road.”
Corporation councillors in the area say the Kerala Water Authority dug up the road to lay a new pipeline. However, the work was stopped abruptly ahead of the recent Thrikkakara byelection. The workers vanished one fine day, and the road has been left neglected since then.
‘Several accidents’
Officials cite “shortage of funds” and “delay in approvals” as the reasons for the mess. Local residents and activists, however, believe the road’s condition reflects the lackadaisical attitude of the authorities concerned.
“One side of the road was dug up, and later filled with mud and crushed stones. You must note that this road leads to the Bhavans Vidya Mandir -Girinagar school,” says lawyer and Mahila Morcha leader Sindhumol T P, who recently led a campaign against official apathy.
“Over the past few months, several accidents have occurred on this stretch. The dug-up stretch is a nightmare for motorists as well as pedestrians, especially during the peak hours. There have been murmurs about two pregnant women, who commute via this road, suffering miscarriage. I am trying to identify them.”
Blame game
The road passes through three key corporation divisions -- 55 (Girinagar), 56 (Panampilly Nagar), and 57 (Kadavanthra). The KWA dug up the road in April as part of a project to replace an existing pipeline to solve water scarcity woes in the area. However, soon after the work started, councillors of divisions 56 and 57 asked the KWA to halt the work.
“We had initiated work with the permission of Girinagar councillor Malini Kurup,” says a KWA official. “However, the councillors of Panampilly Nagar and Kadavanthra told us to resume work only after the corporation approves restoration funds. Our work is to replace the pipe; road repair comes under the corporation.”
Panampilly Nagar (Division 56) councillor Anjana Rajesh, meanwhile, blames the KWA for hurriedly starting work without submitting the restoration file. “They had submitted the file solely to carry out concreting,” she notes.
“Hence, the work had to be stopped. Without the corporation’s approval of funds, the road will not be tarred. And that would have led to the entire road turning into a mess. Currently, only one stretch has been dug up. Unless road restoration funds are allocated, we cannot let the KWA proceed further.”
Anjana says she has been trying her best to get the work file approved by the corporation. “We have also sought the MLA’s help in the matter. Talks are on,” she adds. Kadavanthra (Division 57) councillor Suja Lonappan, too, says funds to tar the road have not been sanctioned. “So far, only the work file to lay crushed stones has only been approved,” she adds.
“It is my responsibility, as a councillor in the area, to ensure that the road is restored to its previous condition. Talks are on to earmark more funds for the project.” The estimated cost of the road repair is Rs 1.4 crore. However, as of now, the corporation has allocated only Rs 22 lakh. “Even after cost cuts, the minimum allocation needed would Rs 80–85 lakh,” adds Suja. Girinagar (Division 55) councillor Malini Kurup maintains that she has “nothing to say” about the issue.
Will the MLA intervene?
If there was a fund shortage, what was the hurry to initiate work haphazardly? To address water scarcity, an official argues. Well, have the water woes been solved? No, says Thrikkakara MLA Uma Thomas, who convened a meeting on the issue with the councillors, KWA officials, and residents of the area a few months ago.
“At the meeting, it was told that soon a water tank will be commissioned at Perumannoor and water scarcity issues will be solved with new pipe connections,” she says. “The KWA began its work in one division. Since the restoration file did not have sanctioned funds, the other councillors halted the work. The water scarcity can only be solved if the water pipe is laid from one end to the other.
“However, the arguments of councillors of divisions 56 and 57 are valid because if the KWA digs up the entire road without the requisite restoration fund being sanctioned, it will cause more difficulty to the people of the area.” Uma says she was informed that the total restoration restoration cost would amount to Rs 1.8 crore. “However, the corporation has earmarked only Rs 22 lakh for road work,” she notes.
“The councillors have requested `60 lakh from the MLA fund. Diverting such a huge sum to one particular area alone is difficult; I have a whole constituency to consider. I have informed the councillors that if allocating Rs 60 lakh would help them finish the work, I will release the amount. But later, I wouldn’t be in a position to offer any further financial assistance for other purposes.”
Local residents, however, are frustrated. “The reason for the road’s plight is simple: of the three councillors concerned, Malini did not involve the other two when the pipeline work initiated,” says a shop owner. “This created a tussle between them, and that led to the delay. People voted them to power in the hope that they would solve the issues of the area. But, in politics, the reality is bitter.”