Road block for repairs troubles Thiruvananthapuram motorists
Pedestrians were caught off guard on Sunday morning to see the road stretch from Sree Moolam Club to Pangode blocked by PWD officials.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Public Works Department has blocked the busy Vazhuthacaud - Pangode stretch for road tarring for two days causing hardships to pedestrians, motorists and local people. But PWD officials maintain that they had given a warning about the road maintenance works.
Pedestrians were caught off guard on Sunday morning to see the road stretch from Sree Moolam Club to Pangode blocked by PWD officials. The 3.5 km stretch is undergoing overlaying work from Vazhuthacaud – Edapazhanji and from Edapazhanji – Pallimukku, a second layer of road tarring is going on. The estimate for the work is Rs 2.80 crore.
A traffic police official said that such road tarring works should have been done during the night which would have reduced inconvenience to the motorists. Despite traffic wardens being put into service,pedestrians and motorists coming from bylanes were caught off guard.
“This is not the first time city roads in Thiruvananthapuram have been undergoing road tarring works. PWD officials should have ensured that such works are completed during night time”, said an exasperated traffic police official to DC.
But, a PWD official told DC that the stretch could be tarred only during day time as it was done at 130 degrees which had to be maintained specifically without the temperature dipping. “There was no other way, but to close the 3.5 km stretch from Vazhuthacaud – Pallimukku during Sunday - Monday. The surface coating would be lost if motorists take to the streets with their vehicle. The road tarring mix is being laid with the help of a hot mix plant and by Monday, the tarring would be completed”, said a PWD official.
Thankfully, the LDF Government has announced a holiday for schools, colleges and Government offices in Thiruvananthapuram district on Monday coinciding with Pongal. If not for the holiday announcement, thousands of students and other people who come to Cotton Hill LP School and Cotton Hill Higher Secondary School would have been affected by the road closure.