Finally, repair works begin on Ambalamukku-Paruthipara Road

Thiruvananthapuram: Days after residents announced a major agitation against the laxity in road maintenance works in the Ambalamukku-Muttada-Paruthipara stretch, things have started heating up.
On Monday, UDF members led by MLA K Muraleedharan, laid siege to the stretch near Muttada Junction demanding speeding up of works. However, PWD had already started tarring works, making the agitation untimely and irrelevant.

Hours ahead of UDF launching protest at Muttada Junction, PWD officials began tarring works in the Ambalamukku-Vayalikkada stretch. As their protest completed an hour, the MLA and other UDF members were arrested and removed from the site.

“Had the MLA began the strike 10 days ago, we all would have joined. Now, what is the purpose of this drama after starting tarring works. The Congress men don’t know the problems we face,” said a resident of the area.

Not just Congress, DYFI and BJP have also placed flex boards in Muttada Junction, all accusing others for laxity.

Ramabhadran, a resident of the area, said that it is the approaching by-election in the nearby Kinavoor ward that has turned out be the reason behind the political parties’ new found interest in the issue that is troubling the residents for over a year.

Even though PWD began tarring works, the issue of pipe leak continues to be a menace. Prakashan, a resident of Madan Kovil lane, said that his house was not getting water for the past six days. “The KWA has assured that it will complete pipe maintenance works by Monday. We started the work based on it,” officials of PWD said.

With the support of city police, KWA diverted traffic from Ambalamukku- Vayalikkara stretch from Monday morning onwards. “We began preliminary works for tarring from Friday. Laying of bituminous macadam was completed in Ambalamukku-Vayalikkada stretch by evening. Next, work will be taken up in Vayalikkada-Muttada stretch. The stretch from Amabalamukku to Muttada will be laid with BM-BC layers. Repair works will also be done in the stretch from Muttada to Paruthipara. The entire works will be completed in 15 days,” said PWD officials.

Confederation of residents’ associations (CRA), an apex body of around 25 resident associations in the area, had planned for a road blockade at Paruthipara Junction on September 24. With PWD beginning tarring works, the association had decided to review works before taking a decision on withdrawing their strike.

“We learnt that the PWD is planning to do tarring works only till Muttada. That is unacceptable. We will continue protest if PWD fails to overlay the stretch from Muttada to Paruthipara,” said Cyriac Joseph, joint convener of CRA.