THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With various arterial roads dilapidated, there is no end to the woes of commuters and pedestrians in the capital city and its outskirts. While the Public Works Department (PWD) and the city corporation have started restoration works on some roads, arterial pathways in the coastal areas are still riddled with potholes.
One of them, the Vaikolkulam Road in Kovalam, has become a perilous stretch to navigate due to the number of potholes on it. It is also narrow, resulting in many accidents lately. The road has been lying in this state for over three years now, but no step has been taken by the authorities to resolve the issue.
More than 180 houses are situated on Vaikolkulam Road, which lies opposite to the LP School in Kovalam. “Due to the potholes, motorists and commuters are facing trouble. The sides of the road are damaged too, making it difficult for two vehicles to pass at once. We have appealed to authorities to fix the road many times, but there has been no change,” said a commuter.
A few weeks back, a pedestrian was hit by a two-wheeler on this stretch. If immediate steps are not taken, the number of such accidents will increase, added the commuter.
Residents also said that the road is commonly used by both officer-goers and students. “Since the Kovalam LP School is nearby, many students also use this road. This makes the situation more dangerous,” said a resident of the area.
Harbour ward councillor Nissamudeen M said he has already taken up the issue. “A tender will be called for repairing the road soon. All the roads in the ward will be repaired in no time,” he said.