KOCHI: Incomplete road widening and lack of regular maintenance have made the busy Vyttila-Petta Road, the main corridor connecting eastern parts of the district with the city, un-motorable. With deep potholes and damaged sides, commuting through the stretch is risky, especially for two-wheeler riders. Delay in land acquisition has slowed down road widening while the Public Works Department hasn't done any annual maintenance works. It takes more than 30 minutes to cover the 3 kilometre stretch from Vyttila to Petta during peak hours.
"Though the Metro authorities have trenched the road to relay a pipeline as part of widening, the works have not been completed. The concrete slabs for covering drains are carelessly dumped along the road side near the St. George High School. Hundreds of students have a risky ride along the stretch every day," said V.P Chandran, division councillor. A memorandum has been submitted to Kochi Metro Rail Limited seeking immediate measures to complete road widening and pipe-laying works.
"The Metro authorities have assured that they will complete the works as early as possible," he added. The stretch in front of the KSEB power house, from where buses take a right turn towards Cherthala side, is in deplorable condition resulting in heavy traffic congestion. "If emergency pothole filling works are not done, we will be forced to stop the service along the stretch," said Johnson M., a private bus driver.
