Potholed and trenched roads in Kochi a cause for alarm, say stakeholders

The Kochi Corporation-owned Chittoor Road that runs parallel to MG Road and was trenched by the KWA for pipeline laying works, is yet to be restored.
| Photo Credit: H. VIBHU

The Kochi Corporation, Public Works department (PWD), and the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) are facing flak for potholed roads and the delay in restoring corridors that were trenched for pipeline laying works.

They include busy stretches like Chitoor Road that runs parallel to MG Road and Puthiya Road that runs parallel to Civil Line Road, linking the NH bypass with Kakkanad, both of which were trenched by the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) for laying water pipelines. A part of DH Road that was resurfaced just over a year ago by Cochin Smart Mission Limited (CSML) too was trenched, reportedly for fuel pipeline work.

Taking note of the public outcry over the shoddy condition of roads in Kochi and West Kochi, and also in other districts, the Confederation of Residents’ Welfare Associations (CORWA), a State-level apex body of residents’ associations, demanded steps to restore all potholed and trenched roads. “The matter must be urgently looked into since two-wheeler riders and others have been meeting with accidents, resulting in injuries and sometimes death. Potholes and unscientific road infrastructure were among the reasons for the death of a good many of the over 4,000 people who died in road accidents in 2023 in Kerala. Pedestrians too are unsafe when motorists veer to one side to avoid potholes,” said its office-bearers at a State-level meeting held here recently.

In this situation, steps must be taken to repair and resurface all roads adhering to strict quality norms at least before the Sabarimala season since every person has the right to travel through safe roads, they added.

The shoddy condition of many roads in Kochi also found resonance at a recent meeting of the District Development Committee (DDC) headed by the District Collector. Speaking at the meeting, Uma Thomas, MLA, demanded that the agencies concerned repair roads in Kochi and West Kochi and potholed parts of roads that led to Piravom from Ernakulam and Muvattupuzha. The DDC members expressed concern at the alleged delay in resurfacing the Kundannoor-Thevara bridge where traffic has been banned and in reconstructing the bridge on Chilavannur Bund Road where traffic curbs are in place.

While sources in the Kochi Corporation said damaged roads were being restored using cold-mix bitumen, KWA officials said they would shortly restore all roads that had been trenched for laying pipelines under the AMRUT project.