A flooded underpass that stranded traffic for nearly three weeks on the Kuttoor-Vallamkulam road, and apathy from the officials who were approached with complaints saw common people involving in some prompt act of self service.
Traffic on the road, a major diversion route linking the MC Road and the Thiruvalla-Kozhencherry road, remained affected after heavy rain flooded an underpass, said to have been unscientifically constructed by Railways. The water-logging of the underpass has been haunting motorists as well as pedestrians on the road, but the authorities concerned have not responded well towards the villagers’ plights.
Regular affair
Vehicles, especially autorikshaws and two-wheelers, developing technical problems while crossing the waterlogged underpass was a regular affair on the road.
The problem turned worse on Wednesday with the water level inside the underpass going up further. The villagers assembled on Thursday morning and arranged a pump set to drain out the flood inside the underpass.
Protests
The Kerala Youth Front (M) State secretary, V.R. Rajesh, who too actively participated in the people’s initiative said the villagers, under the aegis of the action council, would soon stage dharnas before the grama panchayat office as well as the PWD office in Thiruvalla, demanding a permanent solution to this traffic problem.
Mr Rajesh said the action council was also planning to move court against Railways for creating avoidable traffic problems on this major link road.
