Mathrubhumi Daily — Lack of road maintenance

Address:	Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
Website:	www.keralapwd.gov.in

Pathetic condition of Mannanthala – Powdikonam Road at Mannanthala, Thiruvananathapuram – Whether the concerned authorities will open their eyes before occurrence of heavy road accidents ? There are so many ruts and pot holes in this peak hour heavy traffic road. Pot holes of near about 1 feet depth are there in this road which is very dangerous to two wheeler passengers. For modern four wheelers, this pot holes may not a threat as they are provided with very soft suspensions. Pot holes start at Mannanthala Junction and in front of rock garden hotel upto the church. Thereafter, near way to Thazhvaram lane and upto road to Venkolathukonam. Trenches dug for laying water line across the road, near to this area is not filled with concrete or bitumen properly which makes traffic through this road as FATAL. Similary at Keraladithypuram, near to the road to Nagar Temple, the road is fully damaged due to pipe line laying. Similar damages are at Palathara, Jaipuram etc. It is not a good practice to postpone repairs to the road, merely saying that widening of the road as 4-lane has been declared by govt and there is no need to repair this road now. Widening may take 3 or 4 years. Hence it is a foolish thing to postpone the repairs, on the ground of widening proposal of the road. I have met with an accident (by luck, it was a minor one) on[protected] at about 7.30 pm while travelling on two wheeler by falling the vehicle in one pot hole of about 1 feet depth, since head lights of the four wheelers from opposite side blinded my vision instantly and I could not recognize the pot hole. It is learnt on enquiry that an old man was met with two wheeler accident recently while walking on the road at Keralaldithyapuram and his arm plate bone was reported as broken. The accident occured while the two wheeler rider tried to avoid the pot holes near the roadway to Nagar Temple. If any fatal accidents occur in this road especially during night due to the poor condition of this road, the concerned road authorities not maintaining the road properly shall also be charged/punished as one of the culprits for the accidents. Or if this is not possible, public should collect the photographs of the concerned officials intended for maintaining the road properly and display them with title as “culprits for accidents as a result of not maintaining this road” in public places and in media. Or if it is complained by the the victims of accidents and witness/witnesses that poor road condition lead to the accidents, the concerned road authorities may be fined PERSONALLY by police/motor vehicle department as is being done for not carrying RC, insurance, pollution certificate etc while travelling on two wheelers/four wheelers etc. RULES SHALL be formed in this line. It may be searched, what the European and other developed countries are following in this matter. - Visweswara Sharma T.P., Sowparnika, Keraladithyapuram, Powdikonam P.O., Thiruvananthapuram