The muddy track leading to Tripunithura Railway Station has not been tarred for more than a year. Vehicles driving to and from the station kick up dust which affects pedestrians and hampers visibility.
The road, which allowed only one-way traffic, was widened after a long pending request. However, the Railways which is responsible for the upkeep of the area, has not taken efforts to tar the road.
“The whole area is in a state of disorder,” said S. Ramakrishnan, head of the physiotherapy division at Kottayam Medical College, who is a regular passenger from Tripunithura. “There is heavy rush on the road when a train is about to leave the station. Heavy vehicular and pedestrian movement on the mud track sends up clouds of dust, causing discomfort to pedestrians,” he said. During rains, the road becomes slushy.
Apathy rued
N.M. Raju, a resident of the area, rued the apathy of authorities. “So many letters have been written to Ministers at the State and Centre, but no one seems to be interested in making the road motorable.”
“It is difficult to ride an autorickshaw on this mud track during the rush hours as dust envelops the whole area,” said Rajesh C.V., an autorickshaw driver who plies the route ferrying people to and from the station.
Saritha Lijoy, a regular passenger from Tripunithura to Kottayam, where she works in a bank, said pedestrians covered their face when they walked down the track.
She said the area did not have street lights. The headlights of passing vehicles helped passengers find their way from the station to the main road and the alternate road leading to the residential area in Palliparambukavu.
“There has also been no attempt to make this alternate road out of the station motorable,” said V.C. Jayendran, secretary of the Tripunithura Royal Union of Residents Association. The Tripunithura railway station and the residential area next to it from where an opening has been made to enter the station are on uneven ground.
Though large granite stones were laid on the northern side of the parking area two weeks ago, road works had not begun, said Mrs. Lijoy. The stones made it difficult for two-wheelers to ride through the road.
K.B. Venugopal, the area councillor, said the municipality could not do anything about the problem. People who tried to clear overgrown weeds were shooed away by the person who was awarded the contract for maintaining the area, he said.
