KOCHI: For nearly two years, a hazardous pothole adjoining Tripunithura mini bypass junction, along NH 966, has been causing traffic snarls during peak hours, besides accidents. Now locals and motorists can heave a sigh of relief as the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has taken up the task of plugging the gap.
“The pit was formed after a portion of a narrow canal, built nearly 60 years ago as part of the temporary road laid by Cochin Refinery, caved in. It gradually widened and rendered a portion of the road unusable. Two-wheeler riders unaware of the deformity are prone to land in it while negotiating the turn. Several accidents of this nature have been reported,” said A B Sabu, GCDA executive engineer and former chairman of the standing committee of Kochi corporation.
Despite protests, nothing happened until Sabu brought the issue to the notice of Public Works Minister P A Mohamed Riyas last November. The minister forwarded the matter to NHAI.
Denied permission to block traffic, NHAI is laying precast concrete-box culverts to repair the pothole. “The police denied us permission to carry out work during daytime due to traffic along the stretch,” a senior NHAI official said. “The precast concrete-box culverts have been brought to the site. It’s now just a matter of putting them in place. The work will be completed in the coming days,” the official added.