Open drains yet to be covered in city

Despite frequent complaints by the public and appeals to people’s representatives, the open drains that pose a serious threat to pedestrians are yet to be covered in many parts of the city. Though the pre-monsoon rush has helped complete several road projects, the issue of open drains remains unresolved.

Public Works Department sources say shortage of fund is affecting drainage works. Drains along the Wayanad road can be closed only on finalisation of the proposed widening plan of the Mananchira-Vellimadukunnu stretch, they add.

The leakage of water from broken drainage slabs along some stretches of the city roads is also causing problems for the public. During rain, stormwater mixed with waste and non-degradable material spreads on the road and pedestrians are forced wade through this water-logged roads. “Recently, the uncovered drains on Mavoor road was flooded in the incessant rain and pedestrians got trapped on the road,” says Gireesh Sathyan, a trader in the area. In 2013, a middle-aged woman fell into an open drain near the Kozhikode railway station and died. Though the incident prompted Corporation and PWD authorities to quickly repair some of the damaged stretches, the drive lost steam midway.

“The open drains cause a lot of trouble for the elderly and children. There were even incidents of senior citizens suffering fractures after falling into such uncovered traps,” says Vijayakumar, a mechanic in the city. He says the unnoticeable stretches with small openings should be covered first as a pre-monsoon security measure.

Meanwhile, a PWD officer claims that several damaged drains along major roads had been repaired within the past six months. The work was pending only along a few stretches which can be completed ahead of the monsoon season, he adds.