Kannamaly-Chellanam route is in a poor condition
Picture used for representational purpose. (Photo: DC/File)
Kochi: A three km- stretch along the Kannamaly-Chellanam route has been lying in a bad condition for years so much so that private bus owners are planning to stop services through the route as a token protest.
“This is not a problem like in others parts in the city where the road condition worsens only during monsoon. The three-km stretch has been lying unmotorable for years now. There is no co-ordination between the various agencies like Kerala Water Authority and the Kerala State Electricity Board which frequently dig up the section and then refill it using metals,” said Ramapadiyar, secretary, Kochi region of Private Bus owners Federation.
The bus owners in the region are planning to stop services as a token protest and a meet is scheduled to be held on the matter in two days.
“We incur nearly Rs 80, 000 additional expense on an average for maintenance of buses every year. In sections like Chalipuram, salt water from the nearby lake enters the road. This damages the bus body, drum and even the airbrake system,” he said.
The renovation work, being implemented using the tsunami fund, in the section is on even as the work taken up in the Kandakadavu-Chellanam section by another contractor was completed an year ago.
“Now we refuse to run on hire if someone calls for a trip to Kannamaly side except hospital cases. The road is so bad that it results in body pain. Even there are cases when two-wheelers get trapped in the potholes resulting in mishaps,” said Jackson (49), an autodriver operating from Kandakadavu Junction for the past 15 years.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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