Motorists and pedestrians just have to grin and bear it. This idiom seems apt when you pass through the Kozhikode Mini Bypass or the State highway from Karaparamba.
For the past four months, no steps have been taken to repair the damaged Mini Bypass road, especially on the stretch from West Hill Chungam to Karaparamba and from Karaparamba to Eranhipalam. Traffic snarls at Karaparamba, Eranhipalam and Meenchanda junctions, all three identified bottlenecks in the city, have turned worse.
Vehicular traffic normally goes awry at these junctions. Now, the situation has deteriorated with potholes. The Public Works Department (Roads Division) officials say they have no funds to undertake repairs.
The much- publicised project of the district administration, ‘Nammakku Niratham Nammude Nirathu (4N)’ or roughly translated as ‘we will fill the potholes ourselves’ cannot be made applicable to these potholes. These potholes have developed into crater-like hollow spaces at the junctions and also damaged the roads to a vast extent. The 4N scheme is to carry out the patchwork on roads by securing funds from business houses, shopkeepers and commercial establishments.
Traffic congestions and minor accidents have increased at the five-road junction at Karaparamba. Policemen and Home Guards personnel deployed on duty at the junction manage the situation with difficulty. The congestion on the Balussery- Narikunni State highway starts from the Government Homoeopathy College to Karaparamba junction. This 1-km stretch of the road with potholes at regular intervals has become a death trap for motorists.
Fazal Gafoor, a young entrepreneur, says two-wheeler riders lose their balance while negotiating the two potholes near the bridge at Karaparamba and also a deep hole at the dangerous curve near the Kozhikode Government Guest House on the Mini Bypass road.
Similarly, broken roads result in traffic jams at Eranhipalam junction. Vehicles cannot take free left turns at this junction. The snarl is experienced more on the Eranhipalam- Karaparamba entry when the traffic signal indicates green for vehicles to pass through this section.
“On the other hand, the narrow road almost blocks the vehicles wanting to take free left turn from Eranhipalam junction to enter the Wayanad road,” says B. Ajayan.
