Potholes leading to chaos on Civil Station road

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Traffic along the Peroorkada - Civil Station road has turned muddy and jerky these days. The gaping potholes and pits dug up for the Japan drinking water project aided by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) have widened in the monsoon showers, leaving the traffic chaotic.The JBIC project has been going on for over three-and-a-half months in the area, much to discomfort of the local population. With the onset of monsoon, the road has turned into a large mass of slush, making it hell  for vehicles and pedestrians. Further, water pipes that ran under the road have broken, leaking water onto the road, aggravating the problem."Recently, an elderly couple walking on the road slipped and fell into a mud hole.  But no one is concerned about the plight of the commuters,’’ says a local resident.  Following this incident, Peroorkada Road Action Committee and local people of the area have planted papaya trees and plantain in the potholes to protest against the indifference of concerned authorities to the grave situation.Following the protests, officials from the Water Authority and Peroorkada Police Station visited the affected areas and promised a solution to the problem. Later, the potholes were filled with stones, providing temporary relief to the Peroorkada population as well as drivers on the road. However, the situation is expected to worsen as more rain hits the city in the coming days.Despite action by the Water Authorities, much of the road is still covered in mud. Traffic moves at a snail’s pace, as vehicles are forced to move slowly and carefully to avoid any mishaps in the slippery mud.The local people are demanding urgent action from the concerned authorities to finish the project and make the road commutable.