THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As the smart city project is progressing, unevenly elevated drain cover grills on main roads have become a safety concern. Positioned at irregular heights, these grills are a particular hazard for two-wheeler riders, especially during nighttime travel. Despite the construction work going on for a long time, the issue persists on many busy streets, affecting areas near schools, offices and other popular city stretches.
As per the smart city project officials, the construction process has four stages. Granular Sub-base (GSB), Wet Mix Macadam (WMM), Dense Bituminous Macadam (DBM), and the final Bituminous Concrete (BC). Although currently at the DBM stage, construction was delayed due to unexpected torrential rain, damaging materials and halting progress.
The manhole covers, built to align with the final stage of road construction (bituminous concrete), have been placed at various locations.
“The manholes are raised to a height of 5 cm, but they will be levelled once the construction is fully completed. While a typical 30-metre distance between drain points is maintained, adjustments are sometimes necessary based on local site conditions and road use. The work is on track and is expected to be completed by early November,” said the smart city official.
While heavy vehicles manage to pass through these uneven manholes, two wheelers and other vehicles struggle.
“Driving on these uneven roads makes it hard to stay in control. Tires wear out quickly and skid easily. While larger vehicles can usually handle it, two-wheelers and three-wheelers really struggle,” said Karthika S, a scooter rider.
On high-traffic routes like Vellayambalam-Thycaud, manholes are spaced roughly every 10 metres. “It’s not feasible to maintain the same distance everywhere. The number of drain points varies to suit each road’s requirements,” added the smart city official.
Commuters expressed concern that the absence of street lights further worsens the situation, making it difficult to spot these raised grills at night. They also noted a lack of traffic management on these roads, as speed cameras were removed temporarily for the project.
“To prevent accidents, workers placed gravel around the raised edges to level them out. But, the gravel itself becomes slippery as vehicles repeatedly drive over it. On the positive side, the raised design prevents waterlogging during rain. The construction work has been ongoing for nearly a year. As cameras were removed for the project, vehicles now speed through the area recklessly,” said Vikraman D, a security guard at Vipanchika Tower in Thycaud.
“It’s dangerous because you don’t notice it right away. One side suddenly rises as we drive over it. Plus, the divider construction is only halfway done, which also catches you off guard,” said Satheesh Kumar, an autorickshaw driver.