Call it urban isolation. The people of Payyanakkal and surrounding areas are facing hardships as all major roads to the city are blocked, at least partially.
While most of the blocking is in the name of development, which the people have tamed their minds to tolerate, the case of the Chakkumkadavu- Marad road is a different story.
With the Panniyankara railway gate closed most of the time for the railway overbridge work and the Kothi bridge yet to be opened for traffic, the Chakkumkadavu-Marad road is the only decent way out for the people of Payyanakkal. However, the road is far from fit for traffic and hence bus operators refuse to operate services.
It was two-and-half years ago that Public Works Minister V.K. Ebrahim Kunju inaugurated the project to renovate the road amidst much fanfare. The project was estimated to cost Rs.3.5 crore, but with the delay, cost has escalated. The contractor who won the tender abandoned work even before it started.
Fresh tenders have been floated, much to the relief of the residents of the region.
A year ago, residents spent around Rs.4 lakh to fill a gutter which impeded bus services. “With a project already afloat for repair and resurfacing, the Corporation would not shell out money for temporary repairs and hence we had to do it ourselves. However, that portion is once again posing a threat and will cause serious problems once the monsoon commences,” says ward councillor C.P. Musafir Ahammed.
The Chakkumkadavu-Marad road will be a busy one once the Kothi bridge opens for traffic. Meanwhile, the Corporation is planning to make changes to a master plan drawn up 25 years ago for the development of the region. The plan envisages widening of the road to 18 metres, which has drawn much criticism as it will entail a lot of land acquisition.
