Even a light rain can lead to severe waterlogging and deep potholes
Kochi : Bureaucratic inaction is paralysing Kundannoor Junction along NH 66, leaving commuters, and pedestrians stranded in traffic and safety hazards. Meanwhile, a Rs 10.53 crore project by RBDCK to develop Kundannoor Junction has also been gathering dust for the last 1.5 years. As per the project, a total of 16.24 acres, mainly private land from the four corners of the junction, need to be acquired to widen the junction. The 11(1) notification for land acquisition was issued much earlier.
Maradu police said investigating hit-and-run accidents and pedestrian mishaps has become nearly impossible due to a complete absence of public CCTV cameras. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Kochi | Silver Rate in Kochi | Bank Holidays in Kochi | Public Holidays in Kochi Stay updated with the latest Kochi news.
“I’ve written over 350 letters to various agencies including the NHAI, public works department (PWD), and roads and bridges development corporation of Kerala (RBDCK), yet major civic projects remain stalled,” municipality chairperson Ajitha Nandakumar said. “While the NHAI recently initiated tile repair works on the service road leading toward Vyttila, operations were abruptly suspended after a few days, leaving most of the stretch unusable,” she said. When contacted, a senior RBDCK official said, “The survey process has been over and the funds are allotted.
This is despite Maradu Municipal authorities charging National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) with inaction despite repeated requests to upgrade the service roads and lay footpaths. A key issue is the dilapidated state of the service roads. Even a light rain leads to severe waterlogging, dislodging interlocking tiles, and creating deep potholes. The resulting bottleneck severely slows traffic at one of Kochi’s busiest intersections. Beyond road repairs, municipal plans to repurpose public spaces are caught in red tape. The municipality has repeatedly sought NHAI permission to clear the chaotic illegal parking beneath Kundannoor flyover and transform the space into a secure public mini park. Proposals to construct basic pedestrian footpaths have also yielded no response from highway authorities. The lack of infrastructure creates severe safety risks for pedestrians and law enforcement alike. Two buildings (towards the Maradu side) will also be demolished. We’ll start the project soon. Download the TOI App.