Vehicular traffic between Plappally and Pampa has been badly affected for the past 23 days following landslips at three places along the Plappally-Pampa stretch on the main trunk road leading to Sabarimala.
The side of Sabarimala Road has caved in at Kambakathumvalavu, Planthodu, and Mayiladumpara, posing high risk to vehicles since August 15.
The police have blocked the road, permitting only light motor vehicles on official duty to Pampa from Plappally.
The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has stopped all its seven services on the route from August 15, putting much hardship to the tribespeople at Attathode and surrounding areas.
At Attathode
Madhu Swami, who runs a hotel at Attathode, told The Hindu that he had to travel 60 km extra to Erumely to bring rice, provisions, vegetables, and other articles on a daily basis and not to speak of the plight of the people at the Attathode tribal settlement.
Children at the Government Tribal School at Kisumom have been badly affected with the blocking of vehicular traffic on the road, said Madhu Swami, a tribesman.
Meanwhile, the Public Works Department had swung into action on the fourth day of the landslip, following personal intervention of Minister for Public Works G. Sudhakaran. He had directed the PWD authorities to take immediate steps to construct protection walls and repair the damaged portion of the Sabarimala road.
The PWD wing has launched the earth-clearing work from a depth of nearly 200 ft, using giant earth movers, two weeks ago.
However, the mazonry and concrete works, estimated at nearly ₹1 crore, have been delayed owing to shortage of building materials following a ban on granite quarrying and crushing in the district.
PWD sources said the department would construct a gabion retaining wall at one place where the earth had developed a lateral crack.