The proliferation of potholes at congested junctions on the Edappally-Aroor NH bypass has resulted in police personnel having to go the extra mile and do repair works on their own.
“We deployed our men in uniform to repair the junctions, since neither PWD nor NHAI was doing it,” said a senior traffic police officer, referring to policemen on duty filling potholes that caused traffic hold-ups and accidents, mainly at Kundannoor and Palarivattom. The condition of service roads too is bad, especially at Kundannoor and Vyttila, where flyover construction is under way for over two years.
“Police and Kerala Home Guards (KHG) personnel already have a harrowing time managing traffic. They now have to shoulder the responsibility of road repair works too, since neither PWD nor NHAI nor contractors engaged by the PWD (NH wing) for flyover works bothered to do even temporary repair of potholes. We had shot off letters to officials of the agencies based on feedback from personnel on traffic duty at the two junctions,” the officer said.
Sources in NHAI, which owns the 16-km-long NH bypass, said that the PWD (NH Wing) was duty -bound to ensure the upkeep of NH bypass junctions at Vyttila and Kundannoor, where the department is building flyovers. “For this, the NHAI had inked an agreement and handed over the junctions to PWD in 2017. The PWD must maintain service roads in the vicinity too. As for the upkeep of Palarivattom bypass Junction, RBDCK, which built the controversial flyover at the junction, has not formally handed over the junction back to us,” they said.
GCDA slammed
The GCDA too is under fire for not restoring trenched parts of Kaloor-Kadavanthra road, which remained severely potholed. Activists of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) held a protest at one such spot on Wednesday and planted plantain saplings on potholes. “The agency, whose office is located 500 m from the spot, did nothing despite numerous accidents, mainly involving two-wheeler riders,” said Foji John, Thrikkakara Mandalam convener of the party.