Ulloor-Kochulloor road work yet to take off

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Ulloor-Kochulloor road is in shambles, thanks to the lackadaisical attitude of officials of the Kerala Water Authority (KWA). The work on the 3.95-km Pattom- Medical College- Kochulloor stretch is stuck for the past one year due to the delay in the construction of sewerage by the KWA. Lack of co-ordination between KWA and Kerala Road Fund Board (KRFB) is not only affecting the local people, but also the patients to the Medical College. The road, which is to be developed as part of the City Road Improvement Project (CRIP), is in a totally dilapidated condition. Presence of open ducts and concrete slabs add to people’s woes. Though the CRIP work was designated to be completed by next month, the work on the Ulloor-Kochulloor road is unlikely to be over as the KWA is yet to complete the sewerage works. Presence of trenches makes the stretch an accident-prone area. Many accidents were reported in the past several months.  According to KWA executive engineer, the delay in the work occurred due to ‘rain’. “Almost 75 per cent of the works are over. It would require another 20 days to complete the work of cross-duct,” he said. When asked about the inordinate delay in works, he put the onus on the KRFB. “Delay in land acquisition was the reason. A portion is yet to be acquired by the KRFB,” he added.  After the completion of sewerage work, the Thiruvananthapuram Road Development Company Limited (TRDCL), the concessionaire of CRIP, will start the road work. The Ulloor-Kochulloor stretch is part of the 3.95-km Pattom- Medical College- Kochulloor road. The project is to construct a four-lane bi-directional road with a 30-cm median and 2-m footpath.  Development of Ulloor junction, which is so crucial with its proximity to the Medical College, too has been hit owing to the KWA inaction. TRDCL will construct a bus bay at the Ulloor junction after the completion of the road works.  Fed up with the delay in KWA works, the TRDCL had decided to take up road works last year. However, the move was disrupted by a group of local people. Finally, the then PWD Minister M Vijayakumar intervened and the TRDCL was asked to take up works only after completion of the KWA’s works.